Hermione Granger and the HalfBreed Sorceress
by DragonsWillFly
Summary: The year after The Battle at Hogwarts sees the Golden Trio back at the castle, to finish off their final year. Will things be back to normal for the three or will Hermione find herself battling with her friends on the other side?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters within its covers... those belong to the one and only J.K. Rowling. **

* * *

"Remind me again Harry, why do we have to go back? I mean I love Hogwarts don't get me wrong but wasn't last year our seventh and final year of school?" Ron whines as he rolls his cart towards the red train known as the Hogwarts Express.

Hermione rolls her eyes as if his question was the stupidest one ever asked, "Well Ron, technically we never attended Hogwarts last year because we were busy finding Horcruxes and saving the wizarding world as we know it. So if we are wanting to find decent jobs we have to finish our final year; that is what Professor McGonagall said in her letters to each of us. I, for one, am excited to go back now that everything is back to normal. I missed the library immensely."

"I hope your right about this year being normal, Hermione... I don't think I could last another year like the past few years." Harry replies sullenly. "I just don't understand why Professor McGonagall couldn't just vouch for us. I mean after all we have done for Hogwarts... she couldn't just tell the Ministry. 'Alright these guys are good to go for any job they are highly qualified for any and all jobs that they want."

"You know that is not how things are done, Harry." Hermione sits down on a booth in the first empty compartment. "And besides I would never ever allow her to do such a thing as that for me. It would feel as if I hadn't earned anything... I want to be able to go through the N.E.W.T.S and say this was my score and this is the job that I can get with it. Besides since that toad of a woman, Umbridge, took over as the new Minister of Magic; you know, she would never allow McGonagall to do that."

Suddenly the door to the compartment slides open and Ginny appears on the other side. "Hi guys, I just ran into Luna and I was wondering if it was cool if she sat with us?" The blonde Ravenclaw waves absentmindedly towards the others while concentrating more on something in the hallway.

Harry smiles at seeing his girlfriend, even though they had arrived at King's Cross together, "Of course Luna can join us all. Come on in. Uh... Luna..." Harry stares at the blonde who stood outside the doorway after Ginny had sat down beside him. When he realised he couldn't catch her attention he speaks alittle louder. "Hey Luna... Is there something the matter?"

She snaps out of her reverie and turns to face Harry. "Oh. Hi, Harry. No there is nothing wrong... I just thought I saw a wood-elf on the train, but my mistake, it was just the new professor that Headmistress McGonagall hired for the Defence Against the Dark Arts class." Luna moves into the compartment. "I hear this new one is related to Professor McGonagall. Dad and I had a very busy summer... we had to help a woman who had been brought to us that had been injured in one of the battles against Voldemort. How was everyone's summer holiday?"

Everyone was stunned at the variances of Luna's conversation; Ginny was the first one to snap out of her confusion and asked. "Luna why did you think you saw a wood-elf... they have been extinct for four hundred years."

Ron stares at his sister incredulously; "You've heard of a wood-elf? I thought she was making it up like those Nargle things. The only elves I have ever heard of our house-elves." At his remark Luna gets up and leaves the compartment in the direction she was staring at moments before.

Ginny slaps her brother upside his head and rolls her eyes. "Really, Ron? Why do you always do things like that? I honestly don't know what Hermione sees in you to have dated you this long. I'm going to see if Luna is okay." Ginny gets up and leaves the room in the same direction the blonde had left in.

Rubbing the spot where his sister had just slapped him, Ron asks his friends. "What she do that for?"

"If I have to answer that one for you, I think I might have to leave from here too; and have Harry deal with you the rest of the trip. You should know what you did... you hurt Luna's feelings. I know most of what she says seems like a load of junk to you but she is our friend and is a very very sweet girl and you can't say things like that in front of her and not think she is going to be okay by it. I think I am going to follow anyway and see if Ginny has found Luna. There isn't many places for her to go on this train but I swear sometimes I think she makes her own world in here so no one can find her." Hermione gets up, staring vehemently at Ron, and leaves the two boys by themselves.

Once the door shuts behind her Harry decides to speak, "I wonder if what Luna said is true?"

"About the wood-elves?"

"No Ron... about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher being related to Professor McGonagall. I wonder what he will be like; especially after seeing McGonagall in action during the battle. I bet he is even better."

"Well whoever they are, let's hope they can last longer than our other DADA teachers. I mean the poor sods couldn't even last over a year in that position without quitting, dying, having their memory erased, or being chased away by centaurs. I think that position is cursed."

Harry laughs at his friend, "You always say that mate."

"Well it's true look how many professors we have had during our time at Hogwarts for that class; we had a new one each year and of course none of them lasted. How long do you think this one will last? I mean being related to McGonagall and all they should last for a long time, just look at how long she has been at that school. She taught my mum and dad. Hey, I just thought of something Harry... I wonder who Luna was talking about that her and her father had to help take care of over the summer everyone we know that was in the Order that lived was taken care of at St. Mungo's and have been out of hospital for quite some time."

"I don't know Ron... but whoever it was, Luna will eventually tell us. Now let's have no more talk of Luna and her crazy talk... she is a great person don't get me wrong but... I have to agree with you Ron. She can say some of the strangest things. Oh look the trolley is coming." The two boys get their money together and wait for the sweets trolley to pass by their room.

* * *

Further up the corridor of the train, Hermione and Ginny still searched each compartment in order to find their slightly flighty Ravenclaw friend.

"Where do you think she's gotten off to?" Hermione asks as she looks into random compartments on her right, while Ginny searched the left-side rooms.

"I wish I knew otherwise we wouldn't be searching everywhere for her. I wonder if she knows parts of the train that we don't?" Ginny muses aloud.

"With Luna... who knows." Hermione holds her arm out to keep Ginny from moving any further. "Hey... I think the new professor is in this compartment. She looks so small in comparison to even most third years!" Hermione exclaims barely over a whisper.

A slight woman with reddish-blonde hair appears in their view as the two girls leaned closer towards the door to view. "Is she talking to someone or is she talking to herself into that mirror?" Ginny breathes, trying to keep the woman on the other side of the door from noticing someone spying on her. "I wish we had Harry's cloak so we couldn't be spotted doing this."

Hermione places her right index finger over her mouth, indicating for the red-head to keep quiet; then she slowly points towards the door for the other girl to listen closely.

_ 'Yes I am aware what is going on in the Ministry, my love. I promise I will be careful... I don't want to lose you again either.' _The two girls hear a voice coming from the mirror but can't not hear what is being said. _'No... I won't forget to keep an eye on Draco for Cissy, I promise. But are you sure he will be alright with me keeping an eye on him because I remember the type of temper you said he has..."_

"Draco?" Ginny mouthes to Hermione. Hermione shrugs her shoulders unsure of what they had overheard was accurate.

_ 'But a promise to anyone from the Black family is a promise... and any promise to my soul is a promise that I shall keep. But I believe with the way Umbridge is running the Ministry I am going to need more watching out than Draco would ever need. Your whole family is pure-blood where she thinks I am nothing but an abomination on the wizarding community. Besides Minerva is running the castle now; so I believe no harm will befall anyone within its walls, you know how much better she is than Dumbledore was. I believe that it is almost time to get off the train. I promise I will send you more details on everything that goes on while I am here by owl and also I will of course see you during your nightly visits to my quarters via floo network... I know I wish you could have came on the train with me too, my dear. I think I will have a talk with Minerva to see if you can stay in my quarters, I'm sure Cissy would like to have her manor all to herself now that Lucius is gone to Azkaban and Draco is back in school. I love you and stay safe... I don't want anyone to try and take you away from me again. I spent too long away from you to lose you again. And give Cissy my best and tell her not to take anymore of Lucius's whining. There is nothing more pathetic than a man who whines and complains about every little thing. He is in prison for Merlin's sake, he needs to enjoy what visiting time he does get. Talk to you later my dear.' _ The woman kisses the mirror then carefully tucks it away into her pack and gazes out at the horizon awaiting the stop at Hogsmeade station.

The girls on the other side of the door stare at each other wondering what the whole conversation was all about and who was on the other end that they could not hear. Suddenly a voice comes from behind them, "You know it's not wise to eavesdrop on other people's conversations." Luna stands behind them and stares into the window that Hermione and Ginny were just looking into.

"Where were you Luna? Hermione and I were looking all over for you." Ginny says as she tries to regain her composure after being startled so thoroughly just moments before.

"If you had looked everywhere you would have found me... I was in the baggage car. I had to leave out of the room you guys were in because even though we have all been through a lot last year I still believe your brother and Harry don't like me much. So I decided to give you all space and go talk to the animals in the baggage car to keep them from being lonely. Then I decided I would come up here and talk to Professor McGonagall, the younger one that is. Even though she is related to the Head Mistress; I know she is going to be lonely here. She is used to living in the forests amongst the animals and of course with her recently reacquainted soul mate."

"But there are so many people in Hogwarts... how can someone be lonesome in a place like that?" Ginny asks, wondering if this is one of Luna's crazy sayings again.

"I think that I understand what she is saying Ginny. The professor is so used to being alone and is comfortable with it that all the people will kind of set her off a bit and she will not act as she normally does." Hermione suggests and breathes a sigh of relief when she sees Luna nodding her head in agreement.

"Hermione, are you sure you weren't supposed to be in Ravenclaw? Well anyway I will see you two when we get to Hogwarts until then I will be in here." Luna knocks on the door and is greeted warmly by the shorter woman that is occupying the room. The woman wasn't dressed as a normal professor would nor as a regular witch dresses. She was wearing tight black leather pants with black boots that came past her knees and a black corset. Her hair, the girls had only caught a glimpse of the colour of it ,being red-blonde with a stark white streak down the middle, before but now they realise that it is tied in a loose ponytail that went halfway down her back and covered her ears. They stared a moment at Luna and the professor for a moment until the woman went back inside and Luna turned to face them. "You know, you two should really be more careful on who you eavesdrop on because she realised that you two were out here . She found it quite amusing that you stood by and listened to her private conversation. Professor McGonagall is a very attentive person... I guess that could be because she was a hunter for a long time before the other Professor McGonagall asked her to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts." She lowers her voice before speaking again. "I think that once we get to the Great Hall and the festivities have passed that you two should owe her an apology." She turns and walks back into the room and closes the door.

Hermione and Ginny look at each other stunned. Wasting no more time they turn around and walk quickly back to their compartment, where Harry and Ron were waiting for them. Opening the door to allow themselves in the girls noticed that Harry was quite distraught and Ron was trying to get him to calm down. "What happened to Harry?" Hermione asks as she slips into the bench beside Ron.

"That blonde git, Malfoy was just here. You would think that after we saved his mangy hide last year he would be a bit nicer to Harry. But he went in on how there was going to be some changes in Hogwarts and that Harry should have stayed away because now he no longer has anyone to baby him.

"Well, I would keep trying to hex Draco down to a minimum since he has another protector in the school." Ginny says as she puts an arm around Harry's shoulder to comfort him.

Harry looks at her questioningly. "Why do you say that Ginny? Who would even want to pay attention to him now that his parents are at the bottom of the totem-pole since Voldemort's demise?"

"Well, from what we heard when we were listening in on Professor McGonagall's conversation while we were looking for Luna, Narcissa has personally asked her to watch out for little Draco." Hermione submits when Ginny looks her way.

Ron looks on confused. "Why would Draco's mum ask the headmistress to look out for him?"

"No, the new professor for our DADA class is female and is related to Headmistress McGonagall. Well it wasn't his mum she was talking to..."Ginny looks for Hermione's approval before continuing. "We saw her talking into a mirror and the person she was speaking with had mumbled something but of course we couldn't hear it. But the new McGonagall basically told the other person to tell 'Cissy' to relax and that she knows to keep an eye out on him. Also what was strange is she said, '_But a promise to anyone from the Black family is a promise... and any promise to my soul is a promise that I shall keep.' _It was really strange guys... also she mentioned that she was aware of what the Ministry is trying to do and that she would be careful." When she finished, Ginny looked from her boyfriend to her brother and back again; trying to gauge their reaction to her account of what she and Hermione had witnessed.

"Wow... What do you think that all means, Harry?" Ron asks as he stares at his best friend, hoping he would have all the answers.

The bespectacled dark haired boy sat for a minute contemplating what Ginny had told him transpired. "It is a bit strange... I would like to know who else is in the Black family that's left besides Andromeda and Narcissa. I know it isn't Andromeda. She was basically disowned by the rest of the family when she married Ted Tonks. And there is no one else I would know that would be that close to Narcissa to call her 'Cissy' . The only person I had ever heard call her that was Bellatrix." Ginny and Hermione cringe at the name of the dead Death Eater, who on more than one occasion had tried to kill both of them. "But of course it couldn't be her... she's dead. Ms. Weasley killed her. Another things that makes me wonder though... is why did she tell the person on the other side of her looking-glass that she would be careful about the whole thing with the Ministry. The Black family never consorted with muggle-born and hardly ever had dealings with half-bloods besides Snape and Voldemort. So why is this mystery person afraid for Mcgonagall to get into trouble with the Ministry, from what I know that is a Pure-blood family as well. Am I right Ron?"

"Yeah. Harry that is right. You don't suspect that she's a half-breed do you? Like Lupin was? What did she look like Hermione?"

"I don't think she is a werewolf, Ron. But there was something about her that did seem odd. McGonagall was very short for one... not Flitwick short but she only barely came up to Luna's shoulder. But I don't see were that would make any cause for concern. There has to be a reason though... nothing is ever said like that. Not for no reason anyway. You don't think it is because how Professor McGonagall treated Umbridge when she worked here that year, do you?"  
Everyone is quiet for a few moments as the train rumbles closer to their destination. When they notice the speed of the Hogwarts Express finally slowing down, Harry voices his opinion. "Well there is nothing we can do right now... we will just have to wait and see what this year brings before we can act on anything. And besides... she is related to a woman that we have known and trusted for several years now. She can't be a bad person now can she?"


	2. Chapter 2

The train finally pulls into Hogsmeade station and all the passengers step out onto the platform. The four friends walk off the platform and onto the path to await a carriage pulled by threstals to take them to the castle, where the sorting of the first years into their proper houses and dinner will bring the start of a new school year.

"You two will be able to see for yourself what we meant by the new professor's looks, and you can tell us what you think about her." Ginny says as she climbs into the carriage after Harry.

He nods his head to her but keeps silent because what she and Hermione had said before has kept his mind occupied for quite some time. Harry wonders to himself who could she have possibly been talking to that would want her to watch over his enemy. This new professor is supposed to be the neice or something to Minerva McGonagall, a teacher who has watched out for him and always took his side on everything. Now the younger McGonagall is to do the same for Draco; _'Was she part of Slytherin house at the same time Narcissa and her sisters were here at Hogwarts? She has to know them well to call Mrs. Malfoy by her nickname, which is a name that I have only heard her sister call her. A sister that is supposed to be dead... but everytime I think like that I feel that a part of me doesn't think she is dead. But I watched the whole thing happen. Molly Weasley had hit her with a spell that caused her clothing to shrink keeping her still then she hit her with another spell that cause her to evaporate... but for some reason I don't think it ended that way. Ginny and the rest would kill me if they ever heard me talk as if Bellatrix was still alive. It seems like there are a lot of holes that just don't seem to have been filled properly. Or maybe I'm going mad and just want things to be lurking around every corner like they were in the that's it I just am worried that things will happen like the past seven years of my life. Things will not go wrong this year, Voldemort and his minions are gone.' _

"Harry are you getting out of the carriage?" Ron asks as he stares up at his friend from his position on the ground. "Or are you going to ride back to Hogsmeade and let us have all the fun?"

Harry shakes his head and hops out of the trap, following his friends towards the front door of the castle. Heading towards the main door, they enter the main hall and sit at the Gryffindor table to await the headmistress's beginning of the year speech.

Minerva McGonagall stands from her seat that sets in the middle of the teachers' table after all the first year students are sorted into their proper house, looking out into the sea of students before her, she takes a deep breath and begins. "I would like to first welcome our first year students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I would also like to welcome back the other students as they return back from their summer holiday. I hope you are all ready for the new school year. As always I would like to let all students know that the Forbidden Forest is off limits. Now that all of that is out of the way I would like to introduce you all to the new changes on the teaching staff... first we have Professor Regina Goldstone as your Muggle Studies teacher and lastly we have Professor Artemis McGonagall as your new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor and also new Head of House for Slytherin. Would either of you ladies like to say anything to the students before we start the feast?"

Professor Goldstone looks up at the crowd of students before her and speaks momentarily on how she hoped that the year would be a great year and that she is happy to be working at Hogwarts. Once Goldstone was finished, Minerva glances behind her to her relative to see if she had anything to say. With a confidant smirk on her face, the younger Professor McGonagall stood and walked towards the older one and gazed about the room for a few seconds that seemed to feel like an eternity to Harry and his friends. Harry noticed first and foremost how short the woman standing by the professor he had known for almost eight years of his life was; she was not as short as Professor Flitwick but she certainly didn't reach even five foot tall. He also noticed that the girls were right about her clothing also; she had foregone any semblance to the more traditional attire of the previous teachers he had seen come through the halls of the castle. Artemis McGonagall was wearing the exact same thing that Hermione and Ginny probably saw her in judging by the way they looked on at the new professor with not nearly as much shock as everyone else. The only person that seemed indifferent to seeing the new teacher's clothing was Draco. It wasn't that what the teacher was wearing was out of the ordinary but in a way it kind of was; the skin tight leather of her black pants and black corset made Harry think of a certain Death Eater that they had all known to be dead. What also made him think also think of Bellatrix whenever his eyes glanced at this professor was her knee length leather boots and her slightly unruly red-blonde hair that falls slightly in her face, even though it was loosely bound by a hairband. _'Maybe she is a distant relative to both McGonagall and the Black family, since she has the white streak of hair offsetting the rest of her hair, similar to Narcissa.' _Harry thinks as he waits for the newest professor to speak.

The woman finally decided to speak, consequently flooring the four friends with her choice of words. "I would first like to thank my dear sweet relative, Minerva McGonagall for giving me the opportunity to teach here at Hogwarts. It has been a very long time since I have graced its halls, but I promise that I will not do it the injustices that other professors have done it. And I promise that whichever students are taking the classes that I offer this year... that they will not be disappointed. There are things that you will learn that you would have had no idea that they were even a possibility to learn as defensive measures against the Dark Arts... in the times to come this year we will see a lot of problems I fear. But it will not come from an evil that you have all dealt with before... it will come from the people you thought would keep you and your families safe. The Minister will not... I repeat will not have her way!" The younger McGonagall slams her fist into the podium, causing a echo throughout the silent dining hall. "She will know that people will always stand for what is right and fair to everyone alive, and we will be the one to give it to her!"

The Headmistress places her hand on her relative's shoulder and significantly calms her by that simple act. Once Artemis was back at her seat, Minerva takes her place back behind the podium. "Thank you Professor McGonagall for that stirring speech... though I believe that it could have been saved for a later day." She turns her head and eyes the younger professor warily as the other offers a trade mark Slytherin smirk back to her aunt . "Now that business is over and done with, I believe it is time for everyone to sit back and relax and enjoy the feast." The Headmistress smiles and returns to her seat as mountains of food cover the five tables in the hall. Minerva looks to her right and whispers to Artemis. "Why did you have to go crazy like that in front of all the students?"

Artemis looks at the older woman with another smirk, "That is the only way for these children to see that their lives have not gone back to normal since the Dark Lord has been terminated... and I see the way that Potter boy looks at me. And his friends. They are up to something, the two girls overheard one of my private conversations with a certain someone and they are very curious. I feel that one of them in particular will figure me out within a matter of weeks anyway; so I might as well let the whole school know what I am about and how nothing gets in my way."

Artemis reaches for her fork when Minerva stops her. "I see that me placing you as Head of Slytherin House was not a wrong decision.. you may have been a Ravenclaw in your years here but you have definitely changed to a more Slytherin personality. Also, you will not tell these children you Half-breed status my dear aunt..." The seemingly younger witch cringes upon hearing her niece call her the dreaded 'A' word.

"Now Minerva, didn't I tell you not to call me that. Even when you were a child I never wanted you to call me that, it makes me feel old. I hate that word... and no I wasn't going to fully tell them about that, but I was going to make it a little bit easier for that Granger girl, she seems to be a little more on the take than most of these students; except for Luna of course. I like that girl; she is slightly strange but a nice girl nonetheless. Why did you make me Head of Slytherin House, when my house was Ravenclaw? It couldn't be just because of my attitude that I have developed over the years."

"I thought you would want a bit of a challenge, and since you are wearing a Slytherin token... I thought it was a necessary call. Also, I thought you would agree since your beloved was from that house. What are you going to teach them? I forgot to ask you about that when I received your owl that you had agreed to take over as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"I'm going to teach them the best thing I do know... how to fight against an opponent with no wand." Artemis finally takes a forkful of food to her mouth and chews quietly as Minerva looks at her incredulously.

"How can you possibly think of doing that? A lot of them will know as soon as you do that what you are. You should not put yourself out there so brazenly; she put you up to this didn't she? It had to be her, I just know it."

"As a matter of fact... No, she did not put me up to this. She was just as concerned as you are. She felt like I was trying to make myself a target for the Ministry by doing it. But you know I have to show this part of the defence to these kids because my kind isn't the only ones who can do this... dark wizards have obtained the knowledge to be able to do this. Granted their power isn't as strong but it is still there. They will need to be prepared just in case; when I told her this, she agreed. So I hope you will understand why I am doing this as well."

Minerva sighs and stares into her goblet of pumpkin juice, thoughts of everything that had occurred during the summer raged through her mind. "I hate to say this, but I do agree with her. And I am also glad to see her mind is coming back to her more and more... she was always such a lovely girl. I just wish things had went differently for her, for both of your sakes." Artemis nods her head solemnly and concentrates solely on the plate in front of her. Hunger never being the reason of her immersion. Sensing the conversation as being over, Minerva takes to eyeing the hall in front of her, searching for four certain sets of eyes. And not to her surprise did she see the eyes she was searching for; and they were all staring her way, looking at the professor that was seated beside her.

Harry stares longer than his friends at the new professor, something about her confused him. He should trust her but there was a side to her that he felt was as dangerous as any Death Eater he had met. It wasn't the fact that she was evil that made him feel that she was like some sort of caged animal ready to attack, it was more that she seemed as if she had seen more in her life than he would ever see in his. In all of his confusion, he did feel that he could trust the Headmistress in her decisions and that was enough for him, though the Slytherin snake token that was fastened to the new teachers' corset made him wonder how could someone be related to Minerva McGonagall and come from Slytherin House. In the end, he decided that he would always be on his guard around the new DADA professor.

"Well what do you think of her, Harry?" Ginny asks as she lifts her goblet off the table, watching him carefully before taking a sip.

"She is certainly different than any other professor I have met at Hogwarts, but I don't know what she would have in common with Luna though." Ron says as he shovels food into his mouth. "I guess they both are a bunch of weirdos... like what she was talking about. What did it all mean anyway? I swear all these new teachers we get have some weird speeches."

Hermione rolls her eyes at Ron. "And as always you never fail to dissappoint me, Ronald. What the new Professor McGonagall said was so easy to understand a first year could have comprehend it." All three of them look at her quizzically, causing her to roll her eyes again. "She was saying that we are headed into troubled times again. But not from the Death Eaters of course, it will be from the Ministry. With the way Umbridge is changing the laws on the rights of half-breeds, it will certainly cause a stir here in the castle and in the Forbidden forest. But what is curious to me is; why would it be such a concern to her? Considering that she is definitely a pure-blood. She would be the safest person on the staff besides Minerva." Hermione looks at all of them, like what she said was the most obvious thing in the world. "Harry, you have not said a thing since we came into the Great Hall. What is your opinion on the whole situation?"

"There is something about her that is certainly different like you have all said and for that reason I don't trust her at all... and I want to get to the bottom of it all one way or another." Harry stares at his food, pushing it around with his fork. "I'm not hungry, so I think I will get out of here." He stands up and walks out the dining hall.

Ron looks up at his friend and makes to follow after Harry but Hermione places a hand on his arm. "I think he wants to be alone." She glances over her shoulder to make sure Harry was nowhere around before she spoke again. "Ever since what happened last year, he is always expecting trouble, everywhere he turns he thinks Voldemort's ghost will pop out and hex him. So of course he is going to think something bad of anyone wearing a Slytherin token on them... even if they are related to the Headmistress. It seems a lot of people are leaving now to go back to their respected houses. Ron, why don't you go on ahead and Ginny and I will meet up with you in the common room, we have someone we need to talk to." Ginny looks at Hermione, trying to figure out if she is seriously taking Luna's advice of apologising. Ron shrugs his shoulders and gets up from the table leaving the girls by themselves.

"You are not serious, are you Hermione? Luna could be playing with us for all you know."

Hermione stands up and takes a look over to the Ravenclaw table where Luna was sitting, "Luna would never do such a thing as that, Ginny. I know she seems a little off but she is still our friend and we should trust her judgement. After all that she has done for us, you know she is only looking out for what is best for us. Besides, with the way this new professor talked I believe she knows a lot more than anyone else that is here; I can go as far as to say that I think she knows more than Minerva perhaps even Dumbledore. I know it sounds crazy but I think we should make nice with her."

Ginny stands up as well and nods her head in approval, even though she eyes Hermione warily because of her sudden defence of a certain blonde Ravenclaw. "You're right, I guess. Let's go."

The girls head over to the professors' table that is situated at the head of all the other tables. Making it to the end of the table, they are stopped by the gameskeeper, Hagrid. "What you two doing here at the teachers' table? Needing to speak to Headmistress McGonagall, I assume, probably wanting to discuss some of you're classes, eh?" The girls nod their heads towards their friend, the gameskeeper. "Well I will leave you to it then... there are a few things I have to prepare for myself. Since Umbridge up and made herself Minister, there are a few things that some of us have to do around here to keep her away. Do you know how close she was to trying and closing down this school? But Minerva would have none of it. Said that she knew for a fact that anyone who was willing to learn or to teach would be welcome, no matter what their bloodties be. Dumbledore was the same way, always looking out for everyone no matter what. Well I have wasted to much of you're time, go on and haved your chat with the professor and I will see you later." Hagrid stood to his full half-giant height and stalked out the door on the far side of the hall.

Farther up the table the two McGonagalls watched as Hagrid talked to the two girls, "Why do you suppose that Miss Granger and Miss Weasley are coming up here to our table?" Minerva asks her aunt.

"I believe they are coming to apologise for listening in on my conversation on the train. I told Luna to tell them that they needed to apologise for eavesdropping. I see that there are some people within your House that do follow orders, my dear niece." Artemis smiles at the two girls before speaking, "Why hello there, let me try and guess who you two are..."

Minerva shakes her head as her aunt playfully looks up towards the enchanted ceiling, as if trying to pull their names out of thin air. "Just humour her girls... she hasn't been around many people lately. Not with all the studies she does out in the field."

"Shh, Minerva. I almost have it." Looking over at Hermione, Artemis starts to smile. "You must be Hermione Granger. My dear 'aunt' has told me an awful lot about you. Not many third years ever get their hands on a Time Turner, especially if it came from Minerva here." Hermione blushes slightly at the affirmation she was receiving from a professor who didn't even know her. Turning towards Ginny, Artemis gives a slight scowl. "And you must be Ginny Weasley. The reputation of your family proceeds you, and it is all good I hear. Plus I have heard rumours that you are a pretty good Qudditch player." Artemis smiles faintly, trying to keep a civil air about her with the Weasley girl around.

Ginny nods her head, feeling the vast difference in how the younger McGonagall had spoke to her compared to Hermione but tries to keep the anger out of her voice. "Yeah... I guess I am pretty good. But there is something we wanted to talk to you about Professor McGonagall..." Ginny struggles to continue with the apology she feels she doesn't need to offer. "Look we are terribly sorry for eavesdropping on you while we were on the train. We didn't mean to but..."

"But I assume you were looking for Luna? She told me what had happened while she was in your compartment earlier. I know I am not the Head of your house but if I was I would definitely reprimand you and your brother; him, for how he treats his friends and you for not sticking up for her. But I digress. Apology accepted. Now I believe it is time for you to head on back to your house; tomorrow will be a full day and from what I know already seventh years have my class first thing in the morning so I suggest you get plenty of rest. That is what I'm about to do myself, so I will see you girls bright and early tomorrow morning." Artemis rises out of her seat and turns to the Headmistress. "Oh before I forget, Minerva... have you an answer to the question I asked you earlier today? Because I would like to give her an answer tonight before she leaves."

"I have... she can stay in your quarters just as long as she stays within. She cannot be wandering about the school, I do not want people to cause you or her any problems."

Artemis gives Minerva a slight bow, "Thank you... I know she will be pleased. She will collect her things tomorrow." The professor then leaves and walks out the hall towards her room, leaving behind two very confused girls and a nervous relative.


	3. Chapter 3

Walking the halls of the castle by himself, Harry walks towards the quarters of all his previous Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers. Not really certain on the reason why he was drawn to the rooms, he made his way cautiously so no one would hear his steps. _'What am I doing? She is Professor McGonagall's relative. But I feel she is hiding something, maybe her rooms are unlocked so I can just take a peek inside to keep my suspicions at bay.' _As he reached the door he hears murmuring behind it. Startled that someone is in there, when he knows he had seen the teacher still in the Great Hall sitting beside the Headmistress, he presses his ear softly against the wooden door.

_'Cissy, I am prefectly alright...' _Harry cringes as he hears Bellatrix's voice through the door. _'You know better than to think that Artemis would ever cause harm to me. She saved me for Merlin's sake! No, she doesn't know if Minerva will allow me to stay here with her. I know it would cause an uproar if I am found out here but I need to be here just in case something should happen to her. What you told me this morning, about the Ministry trying to cause an all out war, because Umbridge is even more afraid of half-breeds since she was carried off by those centaurs in the Forbidden forest a few years back, has made me even more fearful of her safety. I lost her for twenty years. And she blames herself for that whole time wasted. I know I can never get those years back, but I can make them up to her. And I intend to... I will talk to you more tomorrow Cissy, she is going to be here any minute and I want to give her a welcome she will not forget.' _Bellatrix laughs softly after hearing what was being murmered on the other end of whatever she was using to talk to her sister. _'Now don't be so modest Cissy... you would plan the same type of night I am intending to have if you would leave Lucius and find someone you actually love.'_

Harry stands frozen at the door when he hears someone cough behind him, turning swiftly on his heels, he almost collides with Professor Artemis McGonagall. "A little late to be roaming the halls... even for you Mister Potter." She states cooly as she crosses her arms in front of her. Even though she was a lot shorter than Harry, he found her very intimidating and moves further away from the entrance-way to her rooms. "Finding anything interesting? I assure you that I am no more interesting than the other professors you have had grace your presence in these hallowed halls, but I am in no mood for your conspiracies. So I suggest you be off now before I send you to detention on your first evening back at Hogwarts."

"Yes, Professor." Harry nods his head and admits defeat, walking slowly away towards the Gryffindor Tower.

"By the way Potter... fifty points from Gryffindor for being so meddlesome!" Artemis calls out after him when he had turned the corner. Shaking her head at the boy's paranoia, the woman enters her quarters.

Bellatrix walks away from the fireplace and wraps her arms around the smaller woman's shoulders. "Hello, my love. Who were you talking to outside?" She kisses Artemis softly on the lips, pulling softly on the hairband that kept back Artemis's reddish-blonde mane.

Wrapping her arms around Bellatrix's waist, she rolls her eyes. "That Potter boy was sneaking around our rooms. Were you talking to someone in here before I walked in?"

"Yes, I was letting Cissy know that I made it here perfectly fine and that there was no ambush for me. Not that there would be anyway... unless you were in here before I came in." Bellatrix winks seductively at Artemis. "Why do you ask?"

"I believe he overheard you because I caught him with his ear to the door... this is going to be one tough year if I have to keep dealing with him and his paranoia. I don't see why he can't allow the past to stay in the past." She runs her hands up Bellatrix's sides as Bella runs her hands through her hair. "But he isn't the only one... that Weasley girl is another that is itching to get hexed." Artemis bristles at the name that rolled off her own tongue. " Her and that Granger girl overheard me talking to you on the train ride up here. Every time I see that red hair, I go crazy... I think of how her mother came so close to destroying you, the love of my life, and I just want to throw them all off the edge of the world. And to think that Molly and Arthur knew you growing up... they should have known something was wrong when you had first became a Death Eater. They should have realised that, even though your parents were into all of that, you would never have became one intentionally, you were too good for that. Oh, before I completely ruin the mood, Minerva said that it is alright that you stay here in my quarters and she made me the head of the Slytherin house."

"I was hoping she would agree... I know I must have caused some slight problems for her during the summer when you had arrived and quickly took me away from the battle before that Weasley woman could off me. I know she really didn't like the fact that we used Lovegood's house while I was on the mend, but once you explained everything to her and I got my mind back, things got better. So, I guess maybe that is the reason she is okay with me staying here. Hold on... did you say Slytherin House? Why Slytherin, when your old house was Ravenclaw?"

"I guess dear Minerva feels that Helena Ravenclaw will remember me and go slightly mental seeing that I have yet to die nor aged for that matter. Remember the only ghost who I really talked to about what I really am was the Bloody Baron; and besides, he never said a word to anyone that I was still alive when I taught here when you were in school. What are we talking about the ghosts for when we should be celebrating?" Artemis says as she slowly lowers her hands to Bellatrix's backside. Bellatrix moans as she feels Artemis give her a slight squeeze but pouts when she feels one hand leave to go back to her waist. "Oh don't fret, Bella..." Artemis lifts her hand away from her lover's waist and points towards the door. "I needed to cast a few spells so no one can hear us nor can they interrupt what I want to be as a very very special night for the two of us."

Bellatrix laughs, getting caught up in the flow of how beautifully perfect the night was turning out for her. "That is true, you tend to get a little loud when I start biting that beautiful neck of yours. And I definitely get loud when you do that thing with your tongue that I absolutely love. Now instead of talking about our celebrating... how about we get right to it and then afterwards we will discuss other matters. But until then shut up and kiss me." Artemis stifles a moan as she greedily kisses Bellatrix's full lips and fully complies with her each and every wish.

Several hours later after the full moon had hit its apex in the sky, the couple lie languidly on the bed with the blankets hanging haphazardly around their waists. Bellatrix strokes lazy circles on her lover's shoulder blades as Artemis stares out at the night sky. "I love feeling like this. I feel so complete. I thought I would never feel this way again once the hex had worn off and I realised I was in Azkaban and married to that pig, Lestrange." Artemis turned her attention away from the window and to the woman who was lying underneath her. "I had maybe one day of happiness in that hell hole, but then the dementors caught scent of it and wiped away all memories of you and the way you made me feel. I tried to hold on to my sanity but over the years it went away until I was nothing left but what you had heard about when the Dark Lord sent Death Eaters to blow up the prison."

Artemis places a hand over Bellatrix's mouth, "Shh, my love. It is all over now and I do not want you to punish yourself with thoughts about that god-awful place or thoughts about the past. I knew when I had first heard that you had became a Death Eater and married that awful man, you were not yourself. I just could not figure out who had cursed you to become what you had become. When I heard it was the Dark Lord himself that had Imperiused you, I was mad with grief thinking there was no way to save you... then as luck would have it he had been partially destroyed when he had tried to kill off that Potter boy and you had retained your mind but, alas, you were in Azkaban and I couldn't reach you. I tried everything I could to get them to release you but they had barriers to keep me out of the country and I could do nothing but hear rumours of what was happening in England. That is why when I found a way to by-pass the barrier I came when I did to save you... but I wish I had came sooner so you would not have been hurt." Artemis traces a scar that runs alongside Bellatrix's arm.

Bellatrix places her hand over Artemis's and kisses her forehead, "My love... I am glad you came when you did, otherwise I would be dead and we would not be here in this very lovely setting." She smiles at the smaller woman before continuing. "But let's take our minds off the dark past and speak of what seems to be a dark future... well, it won't be too dark because we will be together in it, so forget I called it dark in the first place. So what are you going to do about that Potter boy? The first class starts tomorrow morning and he is in that class, is he not?"

Artemis rolls over and lays on the bed beside Bellatrix, letting out a sigh in the process. "Yes he is... I don't know. Minerva says not to do anything that will make them notice what I am, so as not to startle them." She rolls her eyes before she continues. "She even thought you were the one to put me up to teaching them how to combat someone who can use magic without a wand. I told her that you were just as concerned as she was and I think that shocked her even more."

Bellatrix looks over at the woman of her life and smiles, "Why would she be shocked that I care for you just as much as she does? Does she think that being from Slytherin house and also being a Black keeps me from showing care and concern for the love of my life?" She laughs softly as she ponders momentarily on her own sentence. "Well, I guess she does know how much I care about you, it's just hard for her to put it into perspective with everything that has happened the past couple of years. Thinking of me as the sweet and caring girl she knew back while I was in school, pales in comparison with what I had done recently."

"Bella, I thought we weren't going to bring up the past again?" Artemis raises up on her elbow and stares intently into her lover's eyes. "What happened... was not you. And I don't want you to constantly make it seem as if it was. Things will change I promise. I hate having to hide your beauty from the rest of the world because of what somebody else cursed you to do." She leans down and kisses Bellatrix softly but passionately. "But I don't mind hiding you too much because that means I do not have to share your stunning good-looks with anyone else in the world."

The dark-haired woman smiles up lovingly at the fairer haired one, "Someone is trying to score some brownie points... What else are you going to do to get in my good graces? Hex Potter and the Weasley kids and pretend it was an accident?" She also rises up on her elbows, looking Artemis in the eyes.

"I wish I could do that, because of all the trouble they had caused you in the past but Minerva will disapprove. And besides we have to make him and his rag-tag team realise that the Ministry is the problem, not us. I saw the way they looked at me when Minerva announced I was taking over as Head of Slytherin House, I thought they were going to go mad. There is going to be too much going on in the days to come to be fighting against people who could be possible allies, sure he isn't that great of a wizard... not without his friends anyway. That is the only reason why the Dark Lord lost, was his friends, not him. But the only way to his Weasley friends is to get him to side with our cause... which I think he will, because of his relationship with that oaf of a gameskeeper, Hagrid. But I feel it is all a lost cause because he is such a dim-witted twit... so are the Weasleys for that matter." Artemis lands back onto the plethora of pillows and bedding that adorned their bed with a sigh.

Bellatrix smirks slightly, not at all convinced at her lover's attempt of acting like she had given up. "Don't make me laugh... I know you better than I know my whole family, you are not at all defeated. You want me to pity you and come up with an idea that you will not use or you want to see if I come to the same conclusion as you. But if I know you the way I think I do, you already have an idea formulating in that brain of yours... You always have. And I think I know exactly who is your best bet..." Artemis arches her eyebrow waiting for the dark-haired woman to continue. Bellatrix gives another smirk as she leans in close to the other woman's ear and murmurs. "The muggle-born, Hermione Granger, is who you are going to use in your plan, isn't it? That is the obvious choice. From what Cissy told me that Draco told her, that Granger girl has quite the soft spot for the rights of other creatures. He said that one year she had set up petitions throughout the school for the house-elves to have rights. She is the one that needs to be won over not Potter. He will hopefully follow if you get her to help you." She nods her head softly thinking about what she had told Artemis and it sounded better the more she thought about it. "Yeah that will work... just don't tell her about me. Cissy told me how I had tortured the girl when I had lost my mind and I feel awful about it. But I don't think she would quite understand yet. But I think you were already planning on using her anyway. I'm sure Luna told you all about her little friends while you were there waiting and watching out when they were healing me."

Artemis laughs softly and turns back on her side, facing her partner. "You know me so well. It is almost as if you were using Legilimency on me." She peers into Bellatrix's eyes more closely and says jokingly, "You aren't, are you?" A smile never escaping her lips.

"Now why would I do that, my love? I can't help that I know you inside and out... you are like my favourite book. Now, no more talking. You have to get some sleep in preparation for your new job tomorrow." Bellatrix softly kisses Artemis's lips and they both drift off to sleep together.

* * *

In another part of the castle, the Gryffindor common room to be exact, Harry bursts through the portrait of the Fat Lady and searches the room for his friends' location. Once finding them in their usual place beside the fireplace, he runs over a flops down onto the couch beside Ron. Staring at his unusual behaviour, his friends remain quiet, each one silently hoping that the other would ask the question that was each of their tongues. Hermione sighs, knowing that there is only one way to end this charade. "What's wrong Harry? You seem a bit out of sorts."

"More than a bit, mate." Ron says trying to get his best friend to tell them what was the matter.

Harry looks around the room to make sure no one was listening to their conversation. Once he felt that it was safe to continue, he lets his back lean against the sofa; sighing as he felt the softness of the back of the leather couch as he sank further into it. "You guys would never believe me if I told you... but I have to say something anyway. I think I heard Bellatrix Lestrange's voice in the new DADA professor's quarters. I know that sounds really mental but I know what I heard. She was talking to Draco's mother about being safe and not to worry. She was also talking about how she had lost Artemis over twenty years ago and that she was afraid for her because of Umbridge."

"That's not all though is it Harry? Did someone find you out?" Ginny asks as she sees that Harry was just a little more than shaken, even if that was all that happened.

"Yeah... the younger Professor McGonagall caught me listening in at her door. She told me that it was too late for me to be wandering about the halls and that she was in no mood for my conspiracies. And she took away fifty points from us and told me to go to bed. I think she might be worse than Snape ever was to me." Harry lets his head fall to his chest as his friends look amongst themselves trying to find anything to say to their friend.

"Are you sure you heard Bellatrix's voice, mate? I mean it might have just been in your mind like how you think you hear Voldemort's voice in your dreams. They are both dead, we all saw what mum did to her during the battle in the Great Hall. She got blasted to dust; there's no way you can come back from that, mate... no matter how evil you are." Ron says to Harry as he tentatively looks about the room, avoiding Harry's stone-cold death glare.

"I know what I heard Ron... and if you even try to say that I am going crazy I will hex you so quick you will be on your back in the hospital wing quicker than you can say _'Lumos'_. Now if any of you others want to add to Ron's drivel, I suggest you keep it to yourselves and talk about me behind my back like I know you all do anyway." Harry gets up and storms up the staircase to the Boy's Dormitories.

Ron cringes as he hears the door slam behind Harry as he had made it to the room that housed theirs and two other seventh year boys' effects. Ginny looks over at her brother with a pained expression on her face, "I know you did nothing wrong Ron... you only said what we all were thinking. Hopefully everything will be better in the morning and he will just realise that he imagined her voice just like he does when he thinks he heard Voldemort's or even Sirius's voice. But as for him snooping about McGonagall's quarters that is a bit weird even for him. I just hope he understands that he probably has the wrong impression about yet another teacher of ours. But I think we all should just go to bed now because there is nothing else we can do until morning anyway. As for you though Ron, I think you might need to sleep down here on the couch tonight just to be on the safe side... I don't want to have to explain how you get transfigured into a toad or something to mum." She gets up and ruffles her brother's bright red hair and walks towards the staircase that leads off to the girls' rooms.

Hermione gets up and laughs softly, "She's right you know, about everything. Give it some time and we will have our normal Harry back to us. Last year was just too stressful for him... I mean he died for Merlin's sake. And others that were his friends and ours died as well. So you know there were going to be some times where he would not be all there."

"But we don't get all twitchy and paranoid like he does, so what makes him any different?"

"It's because he blames himself for their deaths. Voldemort wanted him, not all those others so he is going to feel some kind of way about them sacrificing their own lives to buy him time. If either one of us were in his shoes I believe we would act just as he does. Now go on and get some sleep. I'm sure that this new professor is going to take after her aunt and give us tons of homework on the first day maybe even more considering she is a Slytherin." Hermione follows the same steps Ginny took up the stairs towards the girl's quarters, leaving Ron by himself to ponder over what had occurred thus far in his final year at Hogwarts.


	4. Chapter 4

Morning broke with a weak dawn sun attempting to break the dominance the clouds had made over the sky, it lost however, as the clouds strangled what little hold the morning star had on the horizon. As the dark storm clouds roll in overhead, its gloom is felt amongst three of the four friends as they make their way into the dining hall for breakfast. "Have you seen Harry this morning, Ginny?" Hermione asks as she looks around for the dark-haired boy with spectacles.

"No, I haven't I thought he would have came down with you two." She replies as she sits down on the other side of the table from Ron and Hermione. "I guess he is still out of sorts about everything that happened last night. I just wish that he would realise that no matter how much he blames himself... People would have died anyway to keep Voldemort from rising back to his former glory, so to say. Even if he did sacrifice himself, others still would have perished, so there is no use beating himself up about the whole thing." Before she could start speaking again Hermione softly kicks her in the shin as she sees Harry walk through the door and head over to the Gryffindor table. Staring at his friends with rage still flickering in his eyes, Harry storms off towards the least populated area of the long table to eat alone. "Well, I guess he hasn't put it past him."

They continue eating in silence, waiting for their first class of the year. Once they were finished eating, they leave the table to walk to their Defence Against the Dark Arts class. "Well at least we are the first people here so we can find seats next to each other." Hermione says as she reaches a small table with four chairs in the back of the classroom. They all sit together near the back of the classroom as the room starts to fill with other students in the same year as them. The room was teeming with students, each chair filled with a body, and yet McGonagall had not shown up yet. The only thing that was in the room was a fox with a curious white streak down its back, sitting comfortably on the table, eyeing each and every student intently.

Ron stares around the room, noticing that some of the other Gryffindor seventh years were getting just as restless as him. "Where is this professor? She sure doesn't have the promptness that her aunt does." He says out loud to the girls who sat at his table.

In a chair a few tables down, Draco rolls his eyes. "Well if it is such a strain on you Weasley, then I suggest you go back to you dorm and cry about it to your mother. I'm sure she will be as much bent out of shape as you are about a professor you 'think' is a tiny bit late. Or are you too stupid to notice anything out of the ordinary in the room?"

Ron stands up in a huff and walks urgently over to Draco, wand already in his hand. "That is enough Mr. Weasley." A voice rings out from the front of the room as the fox transforms into Artemis McGonagall. "I will not have you threaten other students in my classroom. That is twenty points from Gryffindor." She eyes the other Gryffindor students carefully as Draco smirks at Ron. "I would give slight pause before any of you others decide to side with Mr. Weasley here, your house is already down seventy points. I don't think any of you want it to drop even more today since it is your first day back and all." Students start to take out their books when the professor interrupts their routine that they had all become accustomed to. "I would not take out your books just yet, for we are not staying in here. I only wanted you to meet me here so I can take you all outside for your first lesson of the year, and on a further note all classes will be held outside unless the weather doesn't permit. I really don't care if the weather permits or not but the Headmistress doesn't agree, she doesn't want Madam Pomfrey to have the hospital ward filled with you lot sick. Everyday, you will first come to the room to see the parchment that I will leave on the door. That piece of parchment will tell you were class will be held." Some of the students started to grab their books and bring them along with them. "You will not need your books, only your wands. What I am going to teach you is not in any textbook you have so why bring it along when it will only slow you down?"

She walks out the door not waiting to see if any of the students followed her. The first person out the door was Draco followed by Luna and a few other Slytherin's. "How is it Luna is so willing to follow this woman?" Ron asks as he stares at the door that the students are leaving out of. "I understand why that git, Draco, is; but Luna?"

"You know how Luna is... she sees things in others that everyone else doesn't. And normally what Luna thinks of other people is the best way we should be able to know who to trust and who not to. So if she trusts her, then so should we." Hermione says as she picks up her wand and heads towards the door.

"I guess that answers our question." Ginny replies sardonically as she follows Hermione out the door. Ron looks about the room and notices it is only him and Harry standing in the room. Harry glares at Ron before leaving the room. Realising he was by himself, Ron lets out a sigh of confusion and frustration and follows everyone out on to the grounds of the castle.

Artemis stalks about the grounds impatiently as the last of the students, which is Harry and Ron, meet up with her and half their class. "I seriously believe that you Gryffindors want to keep yourselves in the negative numbers. I told you to meet me out here on the grounds, but I did not expect you to take so long. I am taking another fifty points from your house for your blatant disregard for promptness." She stares menacingly towards Ron to remind him of what he had said about her. "Now I was telling you before we were interrupted, by the tardiness of Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, I will be showing you magic and defensive spells that you have never seen before. Well... I can't say all of you haven't seen it yet because I have two students here who have witnessed what I am about to show you. And they are Draco and Luna. As for the rest of you lot, I will tell you what I am about to show you. Today, you are going to learn that not all spells are performed verbally, also I will show you that there are some wizards and witches who are powerful enough not to need a wand to cast effective spells. It takes a long..."

Harry interrupts the professor mid-speech, "But we have already learned how to perform non-verbal spells from the other Professor McGonagall. And as for magic without a wand Professor Dumbledore couldn't even do that and he was the most powerful wizard I knew."

Artemis glares at Harry as the other students cower in fear and Draco and Luna look on in mild interest. "You dare interrupt me, Mr. Potter? I heard you had a certain disregard for the rules but I never expected this. I'm intrigued really..." She walks closer to Harry and inspects him closely. She whispers loudly in his face."The Boy-Who-Lived, then died, and then lived again!" Artemis stalks away from him and speaks louder so that the whole class hears her. "You of all people should know there are some things that happen that can not be explained." Smiling as she positions her self several paces in front of Harry, in a duelling stance. "Okay, since you are itching to prove me wrong... let's have at it then. Shall we? I heard that Professor Snape taught you proper duelling, with the help of that sod, Lockhart. So, out with your wand Potter and try your best."

Artemis grins maniacally at Harry and it makes his blood boil so much that he yells out, _'Crucio!' _at the top of his lungs. Everyone's eyes bulge at the sound of his curse, but are even more dumbfounded when they see their professor merely wave her hand and deflect the spell. "I would have thought that Minerva would have taught you better Potter... Never. Ever let your feelings get in the way in a duel. I was prepared the moment you opened your mouth. As I said..." She speaks to the rest of the class as Harry stands dumbstruck. "Not all wizards and witches will perform spells by screaming them at the top of their lungs, like Potter has done. No, they prefer to focus on thinking them, therefore keeping their enemy on their toes, so to say. It makes one so much harder to predict." She now focuses back on Harry, "As for you... why on earth would you use one of the curses that can send you on a one way trip to Azkaban? That is an unforgivable thing to do, Potter. If I wasn't trying to instruct all of you on ways to protect yourselves, I would have no other choice than to get a Ministry official; but as the case is... I am not to particularly fond of them so I will let that slide. But not without giving you two month's detention, Mr. Potter. And you will explain to the Headmistress why you have received such a punishment." A raven lands softly on Artemis's shoulder and she sighs. "Alright... who's next? How about you Miss Granger? I have heard quite a lot about your skill and am waiting to see you in action."

Harry eyes his professor as if she is poison. _'How dare she say those things about me! A person who aides a Death Eater! And there she goes acting all nice to my friends as if that will get on my good side.' _Harry rages inside his head while he sees Hermione ready herself into duelling position.

"Okay, I'm ready Professor McGonagall." He feels bile building in the back of his throat as he hears Hermione speaking civil towards the teacher.

"No need to tell me, Miss Granger." Artemis smiles at the younger girl. "Give me your best shot." She stands waiting for the girl to cast a spell, but her wait didn't last long as sudden a bright red flame flies out at her from Hermione's wand. Holding both her hands in front of her, Artemis casts a shield charm to keep the flames at bay. Once the flames receded, Artemis disabled her shields and the raven flies off of her shoulder unharmed. "Very good Miss Granger, I am surprised you were able to perform that well of a _'Confrigo' _without saying a word. If I was slow handed with spells, believe me I would be seriously injured. A word of advice though... try learning Occlumency, it will keep wizards or witches from being able to get inside your head so they can be confused even more by your spells." She turns to the rest of the students in her class. "Actually I suggest that to all of my students that take my class it will make it easier if you ever become an Auror or just run into a witch or wizard who wishes to duel you for whatever reason." Draco snorts at Artemis's mention of any of the students becoming Aurors, which causes the woman to grin. "But I don't recommend any of you becoming Aurors, it's not a fun job to go after anymore."

"Why is that? Is it because the Death Eaters are gone or is it because of your whole hatred against the Ministry, Professor?" Harry spits the last word out as if it were toxic, his eyes glare as if trying to penetrate the teacher's soul.

"The Ministry is not your friend, Mr. Potter. You should know that by now, as much as they drag your name under the wagon and through the thestral shit. But maybe you like to be made a public spectacle?" Artemis grins as Draco bursts out laughing and has to walk away to keep from falling over in stitches. "But alas, the bell tolls, we will resume our lessons during the next class. And Harry don't forget to see me after dinner for your detention." She smiles as she sees Harry storm off in a huff. Her face falls when she realises she is by herself. _'He is going to give me more hassle than I expected.'_

She sighs audibly but is interrupted from her thoughts by a small cough, "Uhh, Professor McGonagall? I have a question..." Hermione stares everywhere but at her teacher.

"Well, go on. Out with it... otherwise you will be late for your next class."

"I have a free period next, ma'am. But you are right... it's best to go on and get this over with... I know I may sound a bit crazy when I ask you this, but I have to know."

Artemis stares at the girl waiting for her to continue, when the raven lands back on her shoulder as if it too were waiting for the question, that lingered on the tip of Hermione's tongue, to be asked.

"I was watching you during class today, obviously, when I noticed a few things about your style in magic and also your passion against the Ministry's new stand on half-breeds... and I was wondering what exactly are you? I know that seems a bit strange for me to ask you this but I just want to see if my assumptions were correct, because if they are then my next question would be; why do you tell everyone that Minerva is your aunt when actually you are her aunt?"

Artemis stares at the younger witch with surprise clearly etched upon her features. "How long did it take you to figure it all out? I have only knew one other person who could break down my façade of being pure-blood in that short of time..."

"Who was that?" Hermione glancing at the raven that was nuzzling the side of her professor's cheek.

Artemis smiles at Hermione's questioning gaze, "Someone years ago..." she replies absently, still staring at the bird that was perched on her shoulder. "But I doubt you would know her, or at least know her the way I had known her." She laughs softly as she remembered those particular days in question. "You remind me of her somewhat. It was Bellatrix Black, by the way, she was the one who had found me out within a day."

Hermione's look was by no means appalled, she was merely curious at the admission of someone else realising that her professor was not completely human. "I would have never guessed that Bellatrix would have found you out as being half-breed and not have had put your job in question." The raven squawks at Hermione but stands its ground on Artemis's shoulder.

"She was not herself when she met you... all her time back then was used in the pursuit of knowledge. When you met her at Malfoy Manor, she had been driven mad by her time in Azkaban. A place she had spent part of her life in because of something she did when she was under the Imperius Curse."

She stares at her professor and the corvine bird with an air of understanding, "You love her don't you?"

"Yes, I do. And I blame myself for everything that she had to endure. If I had only been able to get away from Umbridge and her band of pursuers, I would have been able to keep her from being cursed and none of the horrible things that had happened to her would have occurred." Artemis looks into the distance, her eyes glazed over with the torments of the past resounding in their recesses.

Hermione walks closer towards Professor McGonagall, taking a small glance at the bird. "You shouldn't beat yourself up with all of this, Professor. I am more than certain she knows about all of this and has forgiven you. Others will come along but slowly; Harry being the last one to accept everything that will surely come to surface. But in the mean time..." she raises a tentative hand towards her professor's face, moving the hair away from Artemis's face, revealing a pointed ear. "Be who you are, so they will know that what you say is not just empty words."

She walks away from her professor, but stops halfway, "Also, let her know that I forgive her for what she did to me at the Manor. I trust what you have said about her because of things that I had heard myself and also what I saw in her eyes that night. I hope that there will be a day when she no longer has to hide herself, because I would like to meet the real her one day." Hermione turns and walks back into the castle, heading to Gryffindor tower to begin studying for her next class that will commence after lunch.

Artemis smiles at Hermione's back while she watches the younger woman walk away, turning her head towards the bird that had yet to move from her shoulder during the whole conversation, "Well that is one down... I thought she would have been a bit harder to persuade to our side than that. You didn't cast a spell by any chance did you?" The bird shakes its head no. "I didn't think you did." She moves her hair back over her pointed-ear and heads back to the castle, wondering when would be the best time to have Hermione meet Bellatrix.


	5. Chapter 5

Later on in the evening after dinner had been served in the Great Hall, the four Gryffindor students trudged up the stairs to their appropriate tower.

"I don't understand why she had to treat me like that!" Harry whines as he follows behind the other three. His quarrel with them seemed distant after this morning's Defence Against the Dark Arts class. "And anyway what is her problem with the Ministry? Yeah, sure, Umbridge is no sodding angel but she does have a few good points. I think she is just another Lockhart trying to get everyone to sympathise and be her friend." Harry continues his ramblings while Hermione partially listens.

_'I swear the more he talks the more it annoys me.' _She rolls her eyes with frustration. "Harry, why don't you just give this professor a chance? She is not as bad as you believe she is. She is only looking out for all our well-beings with the syllabi she is teaching us. Professor McGonagall has not put any of us in danger this morning, the only thing that was injured this morning was your ego it seems!" Hermione blurted out, nettled by his constant grumbling.

"How dare you talk to me like that Hermione! If you had heard Bellatrix in McGonagall's quarters, you would be saying the same things about her that I am!"

"No I wouldn't. This has gone beyond that Harry. You are acting like a petulant child, all because of what she said to you this morning! She was right by the way... not everyone loses their cool in a fight so you have to play it just a composed as they do. What we went through while we helped the Order could have been a lot worse if we didn't have others around us that kept their equanimity!" Hermione runs up the staircase to distance herself from the group that is currently eyeing her with their mouths agape. She stops half-way up the stairway and turns. "Oh by the way... did you forget that you have detention, Potter? You don't want the House to lose more points than is necessary in the first week, otherwise everyone will start calling you 'The Boy Who Screwed-up Everything!" She laughs as she continues her flight up the stairs.

The three left over stare at the empty void that Hermione had once occupied, struck dumb by the comments that the brunette witch had made. "I can't believe she said that shit to you, mate." Ron says finally after the initial shock wore off.

Harry growls and trudges back down the stairs towards the DADA classroom for his detention. He arrives five minutes late, walking slowly into the room as he sees the professor with her head down reading of some reports. He hopes he does not disturb her from her concentration so she could think that he had been there the whole time but she looks up just in time to see him almost slide into a chair. "Oh so good for you to join me, Mr. Potter. I thought that my invitation was clear, but alas you are five minutes late. That is another ten points from Gryffindor, you are going to be hard pressed to win the House Cup this year my friend. Headmistress McGonagall will be very upset that she will not have the cup grace her beloved office this year. But I digress, you are here for punishment, not for being poked fun of. Now, think back to when we were outside for class, what is it that you did wrong?"

He stares sullenly at the blackboard behind her head, not answering.

"Do you even realise that you did something wrong, Potter?"

"No, I didn't do anything wrong." He replies stalwartly.

Artemis shakes her head and comes from behind her desk. "Now Potter, we both know what you did... hell the whole class knows what you did. Like I said before, I had heard of your blatant disregard for rules... Minerva told me all about you escapades before I came back to England. She also told me how you treated Severus, when all he was trying to do the whole time is help you. You are a lot like your father in that regard... but it is neither here nor there for me to tell you what you have undoubtedly have heard about your parents."

He rolls his eyes, "This is going to be a long two months as it is, professor. Why don't you just tell me what lines I have to write and we get on with this?"

She laughs quietly at his grandiose display of stolidity, "Who said anything about lines, Potter? That is something Umbridge would have had you do... 'I mustn't tell lies?" He freezes and unconsciously rubs his hand, where the barely there scar seems to twinge at the words. "Yeah, I heard all about that as well, Potter. No. Lines are not my cup of tea, I feel as though you should learn something of value while you serve your detention under me. I think you would be able to learn non-verbal spells better under my tutelage than from anyone else. Don't you agree?"She waves her hand dismissively and the desks part like the Red Sea. "Now that the arena is set I believe it is high time you learn proper spell-casting."

Harry stands shakingly, for having been in one of the desks that was pushed by Artemis's power, twenty feet in front of the professor. "What do you want me to do?" He asks timidly, knowing that what power he is seeing from this woman is only a fraction of what she truly possesses.

"I want you to learn by the end of your two months' detention, the proper way to cast a spell non-verbally. Also I want you to learn how to respect people who are your elders and your advisors. If within the two months period, I see that you have not properly exceeded in learning either of my objectives, you will serve a longer punishment; but if you succeed within less than the aforementioned time frame your sentence will be shortened. Do we have a deal?"

He grudgingly walks towards the professor and extends his hand, she cautiously takes it and the agreement is made without no other words spoken.

* * *

Back in the Gryffindor tower Hermione, Ron and Ginny sit around a coffee table, the two girls occupying the leather couch while Ron had slumped down into a cushy armchair. Their books lay scattered about the coffee table, giving it a look of paper-made instead of its original wooden structure.

"What do you think is going on in his detention?" Ron asks quietly, causing the girls to jump from the intrusion in the silence.

"I don't know but I hope he maintains a bit of civility when dealing with her." Hermione says as she grabs a bit of parchment from the coffee table. "She is not as bad as he thinks she is. I talked with her for a little bit when everyone left this morning... no one except maybe Draco and Luna can realise what kind of pressures she is under right now."

She had paused only slightly to let her words sink into her friends mind, when she went to speak again, harsh words from the girl beside her cut any thoughts from escaping her mouth. "What do you mean pressures she is under? I didn't see her around when the Order was fighting against Voldemort and the Death Eaters. She is Professor McGonagall's niece but I didn't see her when her aunt was fighting for her life and also to save this school! Now she comes here with her ideas about the Ministry, a place that I might add that mine and Ron's father works at. And you even dare to bring up Draco into the conversation! Are you sure you are even Harry's friend?" Ginny rises from her seat on the sofa and stares vehemently at Hermione. "You know what? I don't even want to hear your answer!" She storms up the stairs leaving the other two from the group slightly shell-shocked from her outburst.

Hermione is the first to recover, folding her hands in her lap she mutters, "What is her problem?" and continues to reread over her Transfiguration homework.

Ron stares at her incredulously, "What do you mean, 'What is her problem?' What is your problem? You are defending someone that Harry believes is housing Bellatrix Lestrange. A woman who tormented you and killed Harry's godfather. I feel like sometimes, I don't even know you." He bolts out of the chair and up the stairs to the boy's dorms.

Hermione sighs audibly shifting all her paper work together, which was the cause of the coffee tables paper look, and stares out the window. After spending sometime staring out the window, she feels it should be safe to head upstairs to her dorm; when suddenly incessant tapping against the glass panes of the window snap her out of her thoughts. Perched upon the window sill is a tawny owl with a piece of parchment attached to its left leg. Upon further inspection of said parchment Hermione notices her name is scrawled on the outside of the rolled up note. Pushing open one side of the window the bird hops from the outside in and waits patiently as Hermione carefully unties the binding that keeps the parchment in place. Once free of its charge, the owl hoots softly and flies back out the window into the autumn night's sky. Standing awestruck, she momentarily forgets the paper in her hand and muses about who could have sent her a message. _'Who would send me anything by owl now that I am at Hogwarts? The only people whoever sent me anything by this method is here with me at school and are not on speaking terms with me. And headmistress McGonagall only sends letters via owl when we are out during summer holiday and the owl is only sent to tell us what books we shall need for the coming year.'_ Then it hits her who could have possibly sent the parchment. Unrolling it unceremoniously, she glances at the bottom of the note first to see whose name was scrawled there. She smiles inwardly when she remembers what she had said to Artemis that morning out on the grounds. Hermione feels the happiest she has felt in a long time when she reads the letter and realises that she is to be invited to a dinner party that is being held that Friday and was to be hosted by Artemis and an anonymous hostess.

She tucks the note hastily into her robes when she hears the portrait swing open and footsteps entering the common room. "Oh hello, Hermione. Where is everyone else?" It was Harry coming back from his stint in detention.

"Oh they both went to bed, I was just about to go to sleep as well before you came in. How did it go?" Hermione asks, hopeful that his attitude has changed towards their newest professor.

"It went alright... I still don't understand why she acts the way she does at times. She talked about my parents as if she knew them. It's kind of strange to think she must have went to school with them you know?" He pauses and stares at the fireplace, watching the embers grow cold in the grating. "I am sorry for how I acted earlier this evening... I shouldn't have acted like a total prat. It's just that I don't take well to others that I barely know judging me the way she did. You know what I mean? I felt like she was just making fun of me in front of everyone, trying to make me look like a complete idiot in front of them all."

"But she wasn't doing that, Harry. She was just telling you the truth so you could learn from your mistakes." He glares at her. "Let me finish, Harry. I have been your friend for a long time and I have noticed things about you... you don't take too kind to criticism. You would rather someone sugar-coat the situation so you can feel better about yourself than to know that what you did could be improved upon. You..."

"Just stop right there Hermione!" Harry exclaims with his hands raised towards the woman. "We all know that none of us can beat you in spell-casting or brains, but you can come off your high horse at anytime and try and understand what we as normal people have to go through."

"Me, off my high horse! Harry James Potter! How dare you insinuate that I am trying to act superior than everyone else? Do you even remember how you acted a couple of years back when you had all the girls fawning over you just because the papers wrote you out to be 'The Chosen One'?"

"Well I was the Chose One, Hermione!"

"See! Just listen to what you are saying." She pauses and takes a breath to clear her head. Turning around to head up the staircase, she pauses again to speak, her back turned towards Harry. "Arguing with you is like talking to a brick wall... it never gives and never ever listens."

_'I will never understand why he is such a prat! Nor do I understand why I have been friends with all of them for this many years. Maybe I should talk to Minerva and see if there is a way for me to have better living arrangements otherwise I do not think I will be able to carry out the rest of the semestre.' _Hermione goes over in her head the discussion she will have with the headmistress in the morning, the thought about living in an area outside the confines of Gryffindor tower, away from the three people she thought were her friends, was sounding more pleasing to her than the highest score she could receive on the N.E.W.T.S.

* * *

"So how did it go? The detention and all I mean?" Bellatrix crosses the room and takes Artemis's travelling coat and places it on the coat rack.

"It went well, I suppose. He hates me you know?" She laughs as she stares intently into Bellatrix's eyes. "He is only being civil with me because we came to an accord... I told him that if he could not perform a spell non-verbally by the end of the two months he will have a longer sentence. And he also has to learn respect for his elders. He probably thinks I bonked my head good. I assume he thinks I am only five years older than him, not over six hundred years older. And with my height he almost probably confuses me with a first year."

"Well at any rate, my love, you are still very good looking for your age. And as for your height... I quite enjoy how short you are." Bellatrix kisses Artemis on the lips, causing the strawberry-blonde to pull her closer. "Oh I forgot Artemis, I invited Draco, Luna, Minerva, and Hermione to a little dinner party for Friday night. Is that alright, my dear? I knew you wanted my nephew and Luna to come and visit with me so I wouldn't be bored but... I thought we would invite Hermione just because of how she acted this morning, so I can at least talk to her about what happened at Cissy's Manor. I just hope I didn't... oh what is that muggle term... 'jump the gun'?"

Artemis laughs again at Bellatrix's use of muggle terminology, "It is fine that you invited her, my love. I think that the time is right... because I believe she already figured that you were the bird on my shoulder this morning and she was okay with seeing my ears. I should have known she would have already figured me as half wood-elf anyway. Just because of who she is... I should have guessed how smart she would have been." Artemis pushes her hair off both her ears and sighs. "At least I will be able to get through one meal without my hair getting in the way of my eating."

"Everything will be better when that hag of a witch is out of the Minister's seat, that I can promise you my love." The raven-haired witch states as she gently caresses the shorter woman's cheek.

"I hope you are right, Bella. I hope you are right."


	6. Chapter 6

"Headmistress McGonagall? Can I come in?" Hermione opens the door she had knocked on.

"Of course Miss Granger. What can I do for you this morning?" Minerva sets aside her paperwork and stares at Hermione. "Well come on in... no use hanging around the door. Have a seat." Hermione settles in a leather high back chair opposite of the headmistress's desk. "Now what can I do for you, Miss Granger?"

Hermione looks around awkwardly for a moment, trying to remember how exactly she had worded the whole conversation in her head. "Professor McGonagall, I am sorry I am here unannounced and uninvited, I thought I would be able to handle a certain problem I have been having, but every time I run over the scenarios in my head, I keep coming up with the same result. And I desperately need your opinion." She looks up finally at the older witch with hopeful expectation.

"Well my dear, you shouldn't expect me to give you advice when you haven't explained the situation. Now, why don't you tell me what it is that you are having problems with and I will try my best to see if I can help you sort it out?"

Hermione takes a deep breath and exhales it out slowly before she begins, "Well, I am having problems with my so-called friends- namely Harry. He has this preconceived notion that everyone is out to get him... granted it is within reason, given his entrance to this school, but he thinks that this year is no different. Harry believes though, that this year, it is your aunt who has his number, so to say."

"Artemis would never do such a thing! I know sometimes she can be a bit harsh with the children, but she is only looking out for their well-being. She believes that if a person knows their weakness they can learn from it and she is not one to be afraid to tell someone what their weakness is, no matter how much it may hurt said person's ego." Minerva stops her rant and stares at Hermione quizzically, "How did you know she was my aunt? No one knows that except Luna, Draco, myself and one other person."

"I kind of figured it out when I realised that she was half wood-elf. The last known of the full-blooded wood-elves died out four hundred years ago. I had did a little bit of light reading on extinct and endangered magical creatures and half-breeds this summer and I noticed right away her style of magic, especially how she blocked one of Harry's spells with a wave of her hand. So after that, I put two and two together and that is how I came to the conclusion that she is your aunt. Also, may I ask if Bellatrix is the other person in this castle that knows what Professor McGonagall truly is?"

Minerva sighs, realising that nothing gets past Hermione's astute grasp of any situation. "Yes, she is the other person who knows Artemis's secret."

"Why is it a secret? I am sure that the Ministry knows of her lineage and would come after her if it was such a problem."

"That is where you are wrong Miss Granger. You are wrong in the sense that they would come after her here, especially after the incident with Grawp and the centaurs. But you are right, however, about them knowing of her parentage, but you don't know the whole story about my aunt."

Hermione smiles in understanding, of course she knew hardly anything about the small half-breed woman but felt as if she had known her forever. "Well... that is true Professor. Can you tell me how she is related to you? Because I can tell that you are not a half-breed, you have told me of your pure-blood status a few years back. So it is a bit strange to see that you do have a woman who is part wood-elf as your aunt."

Minerva sighs, slightly grateful that the young witch had asked that question instead of one pertaining to her aunt's and Bellatrix's relationship. "Well she is technically my great, great, great, great... oh, for Merlin's sake." The older woman flushes with embarrassment, for she has forgotten how far back of an aunt Artemis truly was. "Well you know what I mean... She is over six hundred years old and I am merely in my late sixties. But I have known her my whole life. I asked her when I was younger, how was it that she never aged past the looks of someone in their thirties and why were their pictures of her together with my grandmother, when my grandmother was merely a toddler. She had smiled at me and told me that her mother had fell in love with a wood-elf. It was forbidden, of course, it being the middle ages and all. Her mother's father, who was a pure-blood and they were all about blood purity, disowned Artemis's mother when he found out she was with child. Her father had been killed in an uprising that had occurred because of her conception being considered an abomination. Her mother fled to the desolate moors away from the town her mother was born in, which Dublin was considered a small town at the time. When she was born, her mother made sure to keep her heritage a secret. She would hide Artemis's ears and would tell others that she had been born earlier than expected, which people would agree why she was so small. They moved out of Ireland to Scotland, when Artemis was deemed old enough to travel. It was far enough away from anyone who could actually recognise Mary, which was her mother's name by the way. There she grew up and received her letter for Hogwarts much like any other child coming to the age of eleven. Mary was torn with grief that her child may be found out to be a half-breed, but Artemis told her not to worry that she would hide her identity like her mother had taught her. The story becomes even sadder, I'm afraid. For when Artemis started her first year, her grandfather had finally tracked down her mother's whereabouts and killed her. So Artemis was orphaned throughout her entire stint at Hogwarts. Only after her final year, which is the year her grandfather died, did one of her aunts come to take care of her."

Hermione wiped her eyes quickly, ridding them of a few tears that had trickled out during the story. "That is so sad... to think, just because of blood status a child lost both of her parents and no one would help until that evil man was dead. What happened next?"

"Well as the years went by, Artemis helped her aunt with the children. Taking care of them, making sure they were properly fed, and also helping them with controlling their magic. Ever since then that was all she had done for the generations of our family... she had vowed that she would never hurt anyone in the family as much as her grandfather had hurt her. Artemis was always the protector and provider. That is why the Headmasters of Hogwarts wanted her back so much... they saw her as a real asset to the teaching staff, even though they knew most people would look down on what she was."

"They knew she was a half-breed?" Hermione asks, with an eyebrow raised.

Minerva laughs as she remembered that she forgot something within her story. "Yes of course they did. Artemis may have told Mary that she would never reveal her pedigree, but that didn't mean that she abided by it. She had been so tired to hide who she was, that one night while walking along these very halls she stumbled upon the Bloody Baron and he saw her ears. He told her that she should never hide who she is because it would always harm her in the end... I guess after the fact that he had lost Helena Ravenclaw because of a reason similar to that, he didn't want to see anyone harmed again. So after that night she would have her hair up and everyone found out about what she was, but fortunately no one cared."

"When did she start teaching at Hogwarts?"

"Well... it took them a very long time to try and persuade her to even think of joining the teaching staff but it really wasn't until I came to teach here that she came as well."

"And that is how she met Bellatrix..." Minerva nods her head in confirmation, but Hermione continues. "Professor, how did everything go wrong for your aunt and Bellatrix?"

Minerva sighs inwardly, she should have known better that this quiestion was not going to go unasked. "About twenty years ago, Umbridge had started up a group of witches and wizards who were of the same mindset as her; they wanted to see each and every half-blood have a tracker placed on them, much like the one children have on them before they turn seventeen. Umbridge's reason being, to be able to keep up with the influx of magic person's, who are like my aunt, use. It was all a bunch of drivel... what she really wanted to do was track them all down and herd them into an area much like they did to the giants. Bellatrix warned her what was happening, since Lucius worked in the Ministry and told her to leave for a little until everything settled down. But of course she wouldn't leave Bellatrix by herself because Umbridge and her people would know that she had told Artemis to leave. A few of Umbridge's men had tracked the two of them to a remote area in a Welsh forest, they caught Bellatrix in attempts to make Artemis come quietly. They didn't realise that Artemis and Bella had laid a trap for anyone who had caught up to them. Once the two men were captured in an _Immobilous_ spell, the men who by the way were Dolahov and Yaxely, Artemis and Bella split up and promised to meet back at Malfoy Manor. Unfortunately, luck was not on their side... when Bellatrix went back to the Black Estate, to gather a few of her possessions, they captured her and Voldemort _Imperiused _her. And as for Artemis, Umbridge had several of her men set up in Ireland which was where she was heading, to make sure her and Bellatrix's new home had not been ascertained by the enemy. It had been, and they caught her there and kicked her out of all three countries, setting up barriers that kept half-breeds from getting in or out of the country." Minerva pauses momentarily to see if Hermione had any questions. When she noticed the younger witch had none, she continued. "Artemis tried to get back... I sent her owls with every bit of information I could on how Bellatrix was doing. I even tried to talk to Mr. Weasley to see if he could get someone to sneak her back into the country, because I knew she would be able to get Bellatrix back in the right state of mind. But it wasn't until months later that we were able to find a way to get her back to England, by then Voldemort was made weak by Harry's mother's love that protected him and Bellatrix's mind was released of the curse but she was stuck in Azkaban."

"Who told Umbridge where to look for them at? Was it the Malfoys?"

"No, it was Bellatrix's mother and father who gave up their plans. Narcissa would never allow Lucius to do such a thing. Her parents hated Artemis, because she was half wood-elf and half witch. What also made it worse was that she was also a female, because they wanted a way for the Black name to live on. It also didn't help that Bellatrix didn't want to become a Death Eater and follow in her family's footsteps. They thought it best to step in a do something about it. So... they did..." Hermione looks around feeling the heaviness of the conversation in her own bones. Minerva sensing the girl's slight depression due to the conversation, "I am sorry Miss Granger. I shouldn't have brought up old history. Now what was it you wanted to talk to me about in the beginning?"

Hermione cleared her throat and thought for a few seconds before she spoke, "No. don't apoligise, I asked you what had happened and you told me." The younger witch shakes her head, trying to remember why she was there in the first place. "Well I was wondering if there is any way I can move to another tower?"

Minerva looked shocked, ready to reply when the younger witch intervenes. "It's not that I want to leave Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall. It is just that I can not take Harry's paranoia any longer. And it seems that every time I try to reason with him about your aunt, Ginny and Ron rush to his side like he is some sort of victim! It's horrible. I got so mad at him yesterday that I told him the only reason that he assumes that Artemis is out to get him is because he wants the attention that he isn't receiving since Voldemort has been defeated. I also told him that the other reason is because she doesn't coddle him the way other people do. She wants him to become a proper wizard and the best way for that to happen is if he isn't shown special treatment."

The professor stifles a smile, for she didn't want it to seem as though she agreed wholeheartedly with the younger woman, "What did he say when you told him that?" _  
_

"He blew up of course... he basically said that since he was "The Chosen One" that Professor McGonagall should not talk to him as if he was a child." Hermione smiles at her own statement. "Of course, if he only knew how old she actually is he would realise why she treated him like a child."

"You are right about that, but I don't think he will ever really realise what she is unless either you tell him or Artemis shows him. But as for your reasoning for coming to me in the first place... I understand why you came to me. I may can talk to Professor Flitwick or Professor Sprout to see if you can room in either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff quarters."

"Do you think maybe your aunt may have a space available in Slytherin House?"

"I didn't think you would want to room within Slytherin House, but if you would like, I could ask her. I will see her on Friday after class hours so I could ask her then." Minerva replies hesitantly, hoping that if her aunt agrees to let Hermione stay in Slytherin House, that the younger witch would not learn anymore secrets that should not be revealed.

"Oh, you were invited too, Professor? Well, I should have figured you would have been going too. After all she is your aunt. Maybe we both can talk to her about it then? Because I do not think I can deal with those three any longer than I have to."

"I understand Miss Granger and I promise we will get everything sorted for you because I don't want something as petty as their misunderstandings to get in the way of your studies." Minerva feels a slight relief at realising the young Gryffindor did not notice her reluctance of allowing her to move to Slytherin.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall. I will let you go on back to your work now, and I will see you tomorrow night at your aunt's dinner party." Hermione rises up out of her seat and heads towards the door to her next class.

"Of course, Miss Granger. Oh and by the way..." Minerva looks up towards Hermione and smiles. "If you ever feel like you need to come and talk to me again, about anything... just knock."

The younger witch smiles and replies with a word of thanks and walks out the door. She walks down the hall, down to the dungeons for Potions class when she runs into Ginny. "Where have you been, Hermione? Ron and I were looking for you to say we're sorry for how we acted last night. I know we should have not blown up the way we did... it's just that you have known Harry for almost nine years and it is hard for me to understand why you can't agree with him about what the younger McGonagall is doing here. She is obviously trying to make him look the fool and you are defending her..."

Ginny's voice became a mere whisper compared to the dull roar of Hermione's temper. "You were right there when the whole thing happened! And you mean to tell me that you are taking his side? Now, you know first hand how stubborn Harry can be and you know how bad he can take criticism! Professor McGonagall is just looking out for everyone's safety. Can you even fathom what our world would be like if Umbridge has her way?"

Ginny snorts, "What does Umbridge have anything to do with what we are talking about?"

"She has everything to do with what we are talking about, Ginny! You remember how conniving she was when she was the DADA teacher and how she sacked Trelawney and how she tried to sack Hagrid. So you can imagine what she will do if no one stands against her."

"That would not affect us here in Hogwarts! So it doesn't concern us."

"Yes it will affect us here at Hogwarts! If Umbridge has her way then that would mean no more Hagrid! No more Professor Flitwick! No more Firenze and that means no more centaurs for that matter. She will then move on to house-elves, then possibly merpeople... then who is to say that she will stop there? She might even start up that Inquisition against muggle-born witches and wizards again! Then she will move on to people who helped all those people she wants to do away with... now can you sit here and tell me that it doesn't affect you?"

Ginny stares at Hermione, thinking of anything to say, when nothing comes she stomps off in the opposite direction in a huff.

"You can't expect everyone to understand Miss Granger." Artemis states calmly. "Thanks by the way. I am glad that you didn't mention my name in that little rant you went on. She would then try to find a way to turn it around and say that I am trying to save my own scrawny arse... which I am partially, but there are too many of my kind at stake to even think only of myself. And you are right she will not stop until only the people that think the same way she does remain."

Hermione turns around startled, "I didn't even notice you were there Professor. Did you hear the whole thing?"

Artemis smirks, "Yeah, I heard every single bit of it... I am sorry that I startled you by the way. I like to wander the halls as my animagus from time to time. I guess your friend Miss Weasley didn't notice a red fox with a abnormal white streak down its back standing behind you."

"It's not a problem, Professor McGonagall. I must have been out of it myself not to notice you there as well. I am normally more attuned to my surroundings."

"I can agree with that... it's not everyday someone can tell what I am just by how I perform magic." Artemis stops walking alongside Hermione, remembering what she was going to ask the young brunette in the first place. "Before I forget... I was going to ask you if you received our owl last night and what is your response? Because she wants to make sure there is enough food and also enough space for everyone."

Hermione smiled at the professor's way of telling her that Bellatrix wanted to make sure all their friends were joining them for dinner. "Oh yes. I received the owl... and of course I am coming. I wouldn't miss it for anything. But what time do I need to be there because I know you still have Harry in detention and all."

"I was thinking about that... I might as well tell him not to worry about tomorrow night... I will consider it part of the weekend." Artemis smiles before she continues. "So I would say to come around five. That will give us ample amount of time to eat and talk. There are a few things in which she would like to discuss with you privately though, Hermione." Her voice lowers almost to inaudible levels. "Bella is extremely sorry for what happened at Malfoy Manor. She didn't know what was going on, Cissy told her after she got her head back on right. I know it is probably hard for you to talk about it and quite frankly I am shocked that you agreed to give me a chance let alone come to the dinner so readily, after finding out that she is my lover."

"Yes it is a bit strange, the way events have turned out in life... but I am glad they turned out the way they did. What happened at the Malfoy's was hard but I knew deep down that something was not quite right with her, from what all I had heard about her when she was here at Hogwarts I would have never assumed that she would have turned out the way she did... I am just thankful that she is better now."

The two women turn the corner, walking in silence when a group of first years pass by them. Once the children passed by Artemis finally spoke. "You don't know how much that means to me to hear you say that about her, Hermione. I just wish she never had to go through what she did... I always blame myself for the misery she was put through for the past twenty years, and I am not just talking about what happened while she was in Azkaban. I know you told me that I should not beat myself up about it... but I do. It is too hard for me not to torment myself about it... we lost so much when that mess of a day happened." The older woman looks at Hermione with a pained expression etched into her face, causing the younger witch to see slightly what hardships the other woman endured in life. Then suddenly the slight woman laughs slightly. "Here I am going off, talking about a partial bit of my life, when you have more important things to think about; like your exams and what you are going to do after Hogwarts... I shouldn't bring you down about my past. Well... a short bit of my past anyway. I apoligise if it brought down your mood more; I noticed that you seemed a bit out of sorts before your run-in with Miss Weasley."

Hermione looks at the shorter woman and tries her best to attempt a smile, thinking it unwise to let the professor know that she had heard about her life story. "Yeah, I had a bit of a problem with Harry these past few days. I had went to your niece to see if I could discuss it with her to get it all sorted."

"I understand... everyone seems to have a bit of trouble with Potter every now and again. Was Minerva able to help you out?"

"She is going to work on it, but I believe she can help me out with my problem."

Artemis smiles, "Well... if my dear niece can't help you out, I don't know who can." Hermione walks further up the hall when she realises the conversation is drawing to a close. "And Hermione..." the older witch calls out. "If you need any help at all, you can always come and talk to us." She runs to catch up with Hermione yet again, causing the brunette to slow her pace. "I know you don't really know us yet, well properly anyway, but we will always be there for you if you need anything. You know where my rooms are... all you have to do is knock."

Finding it kind of ironic that both McGonagalls used pretty much the same sentence to show there concern to the younger witch, she stops mid-stride to look at her teacher. Hermione smiles as she acknowledges her consent to call upon the person, who is becoming to be one of her favourite professors, at any time she needs a listening ear. Walking the rest of the way by herself towards Gryffindor tower, Hermione plans out how she is going to spend the rest of her day tucked away from the people she had once recently called her best friends. Deciding that it would better suit her need of studying in quiet, Hermione turns and headed towards the library, where she knew that neither of the three would be.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Not as long as some of the previous chapters (I apologise for that). Also I thought I would give people a bit of a heads up... my portrayal of Luna doesn't fall in line with what we have all come to know and love about that quirky Ravenclaw, but I felt that the reason why she acts the way she does is because she tries to push others away that she has no intention of wanting to deal with. But without further ado... on with chapter seven!

* * *

Ginny storms through the picture of the Fat Lady, stalking over towards the plush leather sofa by the fireplace where Ron and Harry were had been hours, and four classes later, since she had last spoke with Hermione, but she was still seething. "Merlin! This has been a horrible day! I can't believe that ungrateful little wench still fully believes what that hack of a Professor McGonagall is saying to her. Why else would someone who is so hell-bent on fighting the new Ministry's rules be here in the first place if not to be after Harry. Besides it is not like a pure-blood like her would have to worry about what Umbridge is doing... she would not be affected by it, just like everyone else in this place isn't. If I didn't know any better and she wasn't dating my brother, I would say she has quite the crush on the new professor. What do you guys think?" With her question she plops down on the armrest closest to Harry and eyes the two boys intently.

"What do you mean she is dating your brother? It must be one of our other brothers because she broke up with me first thing this morning when I tried to talk to her after breakfast... She told me I was being an irrational git and to never talk to her again if I was going to ever bring up her 'supposed' betrayal against Harry again" Ron looks at the fireplace and shrugs his shoulders. "Women... who knew that they could be such a handful to deal with? One minute we were talking about possible marriage and then the next she breaks up with me all because of us supposedly bad-mouthing this professor who is the height of a little first year!"

Harry finally speaks for the first time since Ginny entered the room, "Was it you who talked about marriage or was it her?"

"It was me, why?"

"Well did she talk back with you about it or did she kind of side-step the whole thing?" Harry stares intently at his red-headed friend, awaiting his answer.

Ron thinks momentarily back on their recent conversation where he had brought up marriage. "Yeah... she did kind of side-step the whole thing saying we were too young to discuss such matters and that a few years from now when we both had jobs and a decent amount of money set aside we could then possibly talk about it. And of course, we couldn't live together in the mean time because it would be wrong." Ron looks up at Harry, his face turning almost the colour of his hair. "Her words,not mine."

Ginny laughs at her brother's stupidity, "You know you are a bit dense at times? She was never going to marry you, Ron. She was probably just using you as a show dog. Parading you about so no one could expect what her true nature was... did you two even snog?"

Ron looks perplexed by Ginny's statement, not quite grasping what his sister was obviously hinting at. "I don't think my personal life should something I should talk to my sister about... but if you must know... we snogged only once at the beginning of our was when we had destroyed one of the Horcruxes with the basilisk fang. Then every time afterwards that I wanted to again she told me no, that she wanted to take it slow, so we have been kind of going at it at a snail's pace since."

Harry shakes his head disapprovingly at his best friend's sheer bêtise, "You were her beard..." Ron instantly reaches for his face and rubs it with his hand. "No, that is what the muggles call it when a lesbian has a boyfriend. They are used to hide the woman's homosexuality. Maybe she was just afraid to be found out as a lesbian even though it is perfectly acceptable in magical society."

Ron, finally caught on to what his friend and his sister were implying, blanches, "Why would she do something like that? I mean that is just cruel... I have to ask her when she comes back because I knew she was scheming at times but I didn't know she would go that far as to play with a man's heart. You two can go on to bed I am going to stay here until she comes back."

Ginny shakes her head at her brother's stubbornness, "You never guessed at what was going on the whole time?" Ron stares cluelessly at her, shaking his head admitting that he never had a clue as to Hermione's total lack of interest in him sexually. "I think it is better if we stay up with you until she comes back,Ron. That way we all can confront her about it because it was not right what she did... playing you as a fool." Ginny looks at the grandfather clock standing near the fireplace, her eyes widen. "Harry, dear, I think you are definitely late for your detention."

He looks up at the clock, "Shit... oh well. It's not like I can show up now is it? I mean with Ron here obviously needing our help when he confronts Hermione, and the fact that the time for my detention is almost over... I think I should just stay here with you guys and wait for her return.

* * *

Hermione is sitting at a table in the furtherest corner of the library, her books and parchment spread haphazardly about the tabletop. The brunette was so immersed in her studies that she didn't notice Luna sidling up towards the table that she was at. "You know it is getting late Hermione. Maybe you should knock off your studies and go to bed."

She jumps at the sound of another person's voice so close to her vicinity. "You startled me, Luna. I didn't realise you were standing there. Why don't you sit down and we can talk for a bit?" Hermione removes her backpack from the chair that was closest to her and offers it to the blonde-haired witch. "I really can't concentrate much on my studies, to be honest. I have too much running through my head."

"Maybe it the wrackspurts getting to you..." Luna looks about the library amusedly. "I hear that they like areas with low lighting."

Hermione smiles at Luna, "It's not that..." She waits until the her Ravenclaw friend sits down beside her before she continues. "I want to apologise to you for the other day. I don't know why the boys acted the way they did to you and I hate the fact that I didn't stand up for you while you were there... it was just that you left so quickly and I was so shocked that Ron would actually say something like that to you that I was at a loss for words. But I will let you know that I did let him have it after you left. I can't stand that they would do something like that to you. You have never ever done anything wrong to them, you have always been there to help out and all they ever seem to do is try and hurt you."

"It's okay... I know they don't exactly like me especially since I turned down Neville's request to go out with me and broke the boy's heart, but I didn't realise that they knew who I was actually after." Luna blushes slightly and smiles.

Hermione reaches her hand underneath the table and takes Luna's hand in hers. "I think they are too dumb to realise that the only reason spent time with them was because of me. Now they probably think that I have some sort of school girl crush on Artemis and if they didn't now, I am sure that they think so now that Ginny went and talked to them. By the way... I broke up with Ron this morning. It wasn't like we were really dating to begin with. He thought we were, so I had to make it known to him that we weren't, but of course you already know the real situation. Also, I talked to Headmistress McGonagall, I think I will be moving out of Gryffindor tower soon."

Luna squeezes Hermione's hand, "That is great, honey. I know you have been having problems with those three since the start of the semestre. But why would they think you have a crush on Artemis?"

Hermione sighs and runs her unoccupied hand through her bushy brown hair. "Ginny probably thinks I have a crush on her because of the way I defend her..." She sees a suspicious look flicker behind Luna's eyes. Knowing how jealous the blonde can get at times, she explains further. "I do not have a crush on her... it's strange though. I feel as if I had met her before though I know I haven't. Like as if I had seen her when I was a baby..." Hermione shakes her head and the ridiculous notion that passed through her mind. "But that can't be... I never met anyone magical until I had turned eleven, when Professor McGonagall came to see me and my parents about how things work at Hogwarts."

Luna nods slowly in an understanding that only she, as a Ravenclaw could understand."Maybe you have met her before... there are things that a person doesn't realise they remember until something triggers it. For example... I can remember when I was less than a year old... don't laugh let me finish." She eyes Hermione with a quirked eyebrow, when she heard a slight giggle escape the brunette's mouth. "Okay... I remember my mother always placed sprigs of lavender in my room, so as to set a calming environment for me and that calming would therefore help with creativity. No one ever told me that she would do it... and I had no recollection of her doing it either, until one day I had walked into a field of lavender and the smell brought back the memory." Hermione nods in agreement, she had heard things as such bringing back a distant and forgotten memories. Pondering over this idea, she racked her brain trying to think of something that might have triggered such a thought to enter her mind in the first place. She was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts when she felt Luna squeeze her hand slightly, to bring her back to present times. "Now do you know were Minerva is going to allow you to stay once you leave the Gryffindor dormitories?"

The brunette shakes her head, "No, but she is going to talk to the other Heads of each house to see if they have extra room available for me. I wouldn't mind if they had no room left and Minerva set me up in a spare teacher's quarters..." She smiles suggestively at Luna. "so we can have a bit more privacy than what we have been able to get since we came to Hogwarts."

The blonde shivers as the memories of their secret rendezvouses during the summer flood her mind. "That would be nice because then we wouldn't have to worry about Mr. Filch catching us being out of bed after curfew. Speaking of that foul little man... we need to gather your things together before we are seen in here after curfew. If you want I can let you come and stay in Ravenclaw tower tonight, so you do not have to deal with those three. And besides..." Luna stares at the floorboards before finishing her sentence, slightly afraid to be let down. "I have been missing you laying beside me. I don't think I could last another night without feeling your warmth."

Hermione smiles and her cheeks redden, "Actually I have been missing you beside me too, Luna. So I would love for you to sneak me into Ravenclaw tower tonight."

Luna smiles brightly, "Then that settles it... I help you get your things together here and we go to my room. We will have privacy since I pretty much do not share a room with anyone else."

The brunette gets up from her chair, gathering pieces of parchment and her quill. "Why don't you share a room with anyone else, honey?"

"Well I do, technically, but because they are hardly in there anyway, for they sneak out and go to the boys' dormitories. So it is basically like I don't share a room with anyone."

"I am surprised that Professor Flitwick hasn't noticed what has been going on but thank Merlin he hasn't. I think that is everything so let's go to your room. I need a break from everything including studying." Hermione smiles and looks over at Luna, "Well... I need a break from almost everything."

The blonde-haired witch smiles knowlingly at Hermione's last statement, a statement that causes her to quicken her pace to get back to Ravenclaw tower.

* * *

Eleven o'clock finds itself in the castle with Bellatrix pacing back and forth in the den of their quarters. _'She should have been back from that detention session with Potter by now... where the hell is she? If he has so much as hurt a hair on her head...I swear I will hex that boy so bad he will fit in a matchbox by the time I am through with him.' _She stares at the old clock above the mantlepiece of the fireplace._ 'That's it I am going to turn into my animagus and go out and find her, I just hope that he hasn't said anything to that toad of a woman, Umbridge, and they have taken my love away from me... I swear I will kill them all if that is the case. I will...' _Her thoughts are cut short when the door opens and Artemis steps inside the room. Bellatrix rushes towards the shorter witch and wraps her arms around her, almost causing both witches to fall to the ground. "Where have you been? I was worried sick about you. I was almost prepared to leave out of here and hex anyone who stood in my way until I found you. What did that awful Potter boy do this time to cause you to be so late, dear?"

Artemis sighs, trying to physically will out all her frustrations in one exhale. "That blighter never showed up... I stood by waiting this whole time and he never came. I was going to tell him not to come by tomorrow, since we are having the dinner party..." The smaller woman smiles when realisation dawns on her, "But I guess he won't find out until he sees that I don't show up." She grins mischievously up at the darker haired witch.

Bellatrix smiles back with relief etched on her face, when she has heard why her soul mate was tardy for reasons that were not the ones running through her head. "Well that will teach him, but I hope you have more than just that planned out for him. Because if that is it I would have to say, my love, you are going soft on these children." She playfully tugs on the headband that holds Artemis's hair back loosely.

Artemis rolls her eyes, "My dear, Bella, you must jest... why would that be all of his punishment? That is only part of it. I am going to make him the patsy in class tomorrow, but first I think I will inform my dear sweet niece, Minerva, about his little absence from detention and I will let her have a little word with him about the importance of punctuality. Maybe that will get him motivated to come to detention class on time but then he will notice that I am not there tomorrow night and he will feel like that right git he is."

Bellatrix smiles warmly at Artemis as she massages the smaller woman's neck. "Well, my little foxy witch, if you want to inform Minerva on the situation you should do so now before she goes to bed because otherwise you may not have enough time tomorrow... since his class with you is first thing in the morning."

The reddish-blonde haired witch smiles as she kisses the tip of her lover's nose. "And you are right yet again, my love. I will just be a few minutes at the fireplace... go and make yourself comfortable on the bed and I will talk to my niece and then I promise I am all yours for the rest of the night."

The dark-haired witch turns and walks towards the bedchamber with a smile on her face, when suddenly the half-breed woman playfully slaps her on the bum. "I promise you that I will not take long at all... there are a few things that I couldn't get out of my head from the night before and I am ready to see if I can exorcise them out by acting them out." She smirks as she sees the wanton lust light fires in the eyes of Bellatrix. "But... only if it is alright by you my love."

The raven-haired witch saunters back over to Artemis whispering seductively in her ear. "Baby... you have no idea what I also have planned for us tonight." The shorter woman shudders with passion when she feels Bellatrix's tongue dart out of her mouth and lick her ear.


	8. Chapter 8

**Tis' a bit long but i just couldn't bear to have broken it up... It has been a long time coming for this chapter (I started writing this story months before I created an account). I wanted it to be just right... it took several days to just edit it. Hope everyone enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

* * *

Dawn broke, with a brillantly lit sky, the next morning as the seventh year students headed towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest for their Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Hermione walks beside Luna, rubbing her eyes against one of the last few warm sun-lit mornings of the year. "Last night was amazing, Luna. I don't think we should try that again until a weekend night, so we can sleep in afterwards."

"You mean you don't want to sleep in my room again, save for weekends?" The blonde witch asks quizzically.

Hermione smiles and runs her hand through Luna's bright blonde hair, "No my love, I didn't mean it that way. I meant we shouldn't have that much sex in one night unless we don't have to get up early the next morning... I feel like I can barely move. Where did you get all that sexual energy from last night?"

The blonde Ravenclaw shrugs her shoulders, "I guess I just missed having you laying beside me... where I could just move and you would be there. It had been one month, fourteen days, and five hours since we had shared the same bed. So I guess I was a bit excited to be with you again." Luna blushes brightly when she realises that she admitted that she had been counting the time since they had been together.

The Gryffindor witch smiles and whispers in the other woman's ear. "Well I promise you, I will never make you wait that long again. Or maybe I should, just to see how many more ideas you can come up with that we can use when we have sex." Before she moves her head away from Luna's ear, Hermione slowly licks the outer shell of it causing the blonde to shiver.

"Hey, don't do that or we may have to turn back around and forget about classes all together today. And I am sure, judging by Artemis's mood, we will not get away with saying that a Nargle stole our homework. It looks as if she didn't get much sleep last night either." Luna smiles and nods her head towards their professor, who was yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall." both girls say in unison.

"Ah, good morning, girls. How are you this beautiful morn? Are you two ready for the dinner party tonight?" Artemis asks as she looks about expectantly for the rest of the class.

"We are doing good professor... a little tired but good. And yes we are excited about the upcoming dinner party in your quarters."

The professor quirks her eyebrow at Hermione's mention of being a little tired, "Oh! So this is the one you were telling me about, Luna? I should have known." Artemis smiles knowingly at the two girls causing them both to blush. "Well... if you two are ready for others to know about it besides myself, who guessed at it, you can tell the other hostess at tonight's party about it as well. She loves to here good news."

"Oh, I am so glad to hear that I am not going to be the only student at the affair tonight." Draco drawls as he walks up to the three women. "I don't think I could deal with another boring conversation with you and Aunt Bella, Aunt Artemis." He says jokingly.

Artemis raises an eyebrow at Draco, replying playfully. "Don't make me go against the oath I gave to your mother, young man. I don't think Cissy would like it if I accidentally allowed your other aunt to changed your hair colour to purple."

"You wouldn't dare let her do that to me would you?" Draco looks at the smaller woman petrified.

"You know I wouldn't... now come on you three it seems everyone is now coming to class after the fact that they stuffed themselves on a very heavy breakfast. How long do you think it will take some of them to sick it back up? Shall we find out?"

Draco grins maniacally, "Test Potter first, Aunt. He seems a bit green today if you ask me."

"Well that could be because my dear niece gave him a bit of a tongue-lashing this morning, since he neglected to show up for detention last night."

Hermione glances towards the spot Draco and Professor McGonagall were looking, seeing her three ex-friends shuffling their way towards their location, she let's out a huff. "I suppose he thought he was too good for detention... he thinks he is too good for anything. Especially anyone's advice that would make him a better wizard. I agree with Draco... he should be the first one you put to the test this morning. Maybe a bit of a game of hide and seek I don't think he was in the room when you had shifted from your animagus, so he will be absolutely clueless when you are hidden from him in the form of a fox. It will drive him mad."

Artemis ponders momentarily, smiling when she realises how much she likes the sound of the plan that her students came up with. "Well I heard what you two think I should do..." she gestures towards Draco and Hermione. "but what do you think Luna?"

Luna stares out into the Forbidden Forest in deep thought. "I actually agree with Hermione and Draco, but... will he want to join your cause after the hell you have put him through trying to look for you out there? I don't think there are too many things that like him anymore out in the forest. Sure Hagrid told them he was okay, but with him not there they will not listen. And also, Firenze has told me that the other centaurs heard what he said about Umbridge's plan and they are not pleased."

"When are the centaurs pleased about anything?" Artemis asks jokingly. When Luna doesn't smiles back, she amends her question. "You know I am only joking, Luna. Some of my best friends are centaurs and most of them live right inside the Forbidden Forest. I will come up with a plan that will make him think twice about skipping another detention with me and will also keep him safe." The older woman tells the blonde-haired witch as she moves from their little group to confront the class as a whole. "So I see everyone is mostly here on time today and I see you all brought your wands... good." Artemis walks a broad path in front of the group of students who have formed a semi-circle when she had began to speak. " Today, we are continuing with learning non-verbal spells. I want to see if any of you lot have made any progress since we last met. There are a few of you, I can imagine, who did not study a single offensive spell to learn this way of using magic. Those people will be awarded extra homework... if you have not improved, at least somewhat from last class, you will have to hand in an essay on the Benefits of using non-verbal spells; I think at least a foot and a half worth will be enough of an award." Artemis eyes Harry as she spoke about the homework and smiles inwardly when she sees how nervous he has become. "So now with that out of the way... let's start the lesson. Who wants to go first? How about you Draco?"

Draco smirks towards Ginny, Ron, and Harry direction as he steps out the twenty paces away from the professor. Turning swiftly back towards Professor McGonagall, he waves his wands and ice shards blast out the end of it. Artemis quickly casts a wall of fire in front of her to melt the shards into water. "Very good Draco... I am impressed. Your mother must have taught you that spell, she was always very handy with elemental spells."

"Yes, she did professor. I had been practising all summer with that spell non-verbally so it came like second nature to me."

Artemis smiles, "Well like I said, I am impressed. Next time this class meets up, I want to see you use another spell and see if you can trick me... because you actually came very close to doing that just then and I am not fooled that easily. You may step back into formation, Draco. Alright let's see who's next... okay Neville. You're up."

The class period goes on like this, with some students mastering their spells and others still speaking the words of the spell but so low that the spell sputtered out within a few feet from their wand. Towards the end of the session only five students remained to show Professor McGonagall what they could do. "Miss Weasley... you're next." Artemis grins when she sees Ginny step forward, a look of determination set in her face like stone. "I think I might be in trouble now." The reddish-blonde woman quips, causing Draco and a few other to laugh.

This causes Ginny to lose her temper, brandishing her wand like it was a sword in the direction of the teacher. Barely audible, the younger witch whispers _'Crucio'. _The professor smirks as she places her hands by her side and let's the curse hit her.

As Artemis falls to one knee from being hit by the curse, Hermione silently casts a disarming spell causing Ginny's wand to fly out of her hand, allowing Luna to pick it off the ground. Several students run to their teacher's aide only to stop mid-stride when they hear the woman start to laugh. Artemis stands shakily, still chuckling when Minerva rushes out onto the grounds. "Artemis... what happened? Are you alright? I saw you get hit by a spell while I was looking out my office window, so I had to run out here to if you were okay."

Draco pipes up when he sees the woman hasn't answered the headmistress, "The Weasel girl hit Professor McGonagall with the Cruciatus Curse."

Minerva looks around at the rest of the class, seeking and receiving the confirmation she needed to know Draco was telling the truth. "Then Miss Weasley, if you are going to perform such a horrible spell in this school... you are going to be punished. Follow me to my office..."

Artemis stops laughing and interrupts her niece. "Minerva wait... I want to say something before you take her away." She steps up closer and peers into the younger girl's face. "Good job on the non-verbal usage of that curse, but... if you are going to use it; you have to mean it." She quirks an eyebrow at the younger red-head and smiles. "You can take her away now Minerva..." Looking at the rest of the class for the first time since the incident, she gauges everyone's reaction to the scene that played a few moments prior. Artemis is pleased with the look of shock on both Harry and Ron's face as they see Ginny being taken back into the castle by the Headmistress. "Alright, show's over everybody. I think that is it for today's lessons unless someone else wants to try and throw a curse at me." Her eyes shoot straight towards Harry, hatred flickering behind her stormy grey eyes.

All the students slowly walked away discussing amongst themselves on what had transpired, save for Hermione, Luna, and Draco. Once everyone else had finally meandered away from the scene, Hermione spoke. "Are you alright Professor?"

Artemis turns and smiles at the three students, who are loyal to her, "Of course I'm alright... I just didn't think she had it in her to do that, but I guess like mother like daughter. Nice Disarming Spell by the way. I haven't seen many witches who can perform that non-verbally even after several years of practise."

Hermione smiles,"Thanks Professor McGonagall. That spell didn't hurt you though, I mean it had to have hurt somewhat to cause you to go down onto one knee like that... maybe you should go see Madam Pomfrey. There might be some slight damage... after all she hit you in the stomach with that curse."

The half-breed woman rubs her stomach gingerly, causing a slight grimace to come across her face. "Yeah it is a bit tender but I am not going to that woman, Pomfrey. She doesn't know what I am yet so I don't think it will be a good idea to go and have her check out the damage. I will just have Bella look at it because believe it or not she is actually a better healer than Madam Pomfrey." She managed to smile at the three students before starting to walk across the grounds towards the castle.

"Wait, Professor!" Luna cried out, running forward as she noticed Artemis stumble a few times. "You cannot walk by yourself back to your quarters... I know how some spells affect half-breeds a bit differently than they do regular witches and wizards, you are feeling the pain more and more now aren't you, Artemis?"

"My little intuitive Ravenclaw friend, you do me proud by being the epitome of what Rowena Ravenclaw wanted from her students. You are quite right though,the Cruiciatus Curse happens to act differently on half-breeds. Also, I believe you are right that I am going to need help getting back to my rooms."

Hermione steps up beside Luna, "I will help Luna get you back to your housing... besides I don't feel like going to another class and seeing those three sitting by each other discussing what had occurred. I think I would hex them all for simply opening their mouths." Her anger betrays her, seeping out into her words.

Artemis accepts their help in aiding her back to the castle; the pain in her stomach was growing more intense with each step she was taking, but she hid the pain behind a mask of concern for the brunette witch. "I understand what you mean by not wanting to be around them... but don't allow your emotions to get in the way of reason. It is what Helena Ravenclaw used to say... 'Relying on your emotions to solve a problem, especially after something drastic has occurred, will only cause one to not think rationally.' And that is exactly what Potter and the Weasley's are doing; they are thinking emotionally not rationally. If Ginny had not reacted out of anger by what I said then I would not have been hit by this curse. Just be glad that she isn't strong enough to cast that spell properly... otherwise I would have bled out."

"How do you know so much about the Ravenclaw House, Professor? After all you are from Slytherin otherwise Minerva would have never had you placed as Head of House there?" Hermione asks trying to keep the woman awake when she sees that her eyes keep closing as she walked.

"Ah... but that is where you are wrong Hermione. I was originally placed in Ravenclaw when I was first sorted here, many, many, many years ago. But my dear niece thought it would be wise to place me in Slytherin so Helena Ravenclaw would not see me. For you must know a lot of ghosts do not take too kindly for seeing someone who has not died yet after over six-hundred years." She smiles at the younger witch and stumbles over her own feet, when her eyes had shut again.

"Aunt Artemis..." Draco puts his arm around the shorter witch's shoulder to offer support, "Why is it that certain spells react differently towards people such as yourself?" They were nearing the castle by now, so Draco didn't want to bring up Artemis's half-breed status near prying ears. "I mean that spell should have caused torrential pain even if it was cast by someone who lacks proper skill."

She smiles at the young wizard, "And it would have too if I wasn't what I am. You see it all comes down to a person's tolerance to magic." When she said person, all three students understood it as meaning Half-breed. "Take Hagrid for example, from what I heard it took several Death Eaters to take him down with Stunning spells. Now, with someone like me the spell will respond differently towards my blood." Looking from side-to-side, noticing no other person was around but them, "And the fact that I am over six hundred years old doesn't hurt. But in the end being part wood-elf means that the spells take longer to go into affect. I guess that is why we are said to be immortal because our blood causes us to age at an abnormally slow rate." She grimaces as she feels the pain increase slowly in her stomach. "But we must hurry... I know that you three were keeping me awake with your questions and I appreciate that, but I don't want to pass out before we get to my quarters... Bella would kill me." She manages a slight laugh before she grimaces again.

Luna, Draco, and Hermione hasten their steps once they were inside the foyer of the castle, using the hidden passages to make their way unseen to Artemis's room. Unbeknownst to the group of four, a set of piercing bespectacled green eyes were watching them slink into the first obscured passage in the antechamber.  
Luna emerges first from behind a tapestry that obscured one of the many passageways hidden throughout Hogwarts. Glancing back and forth she sees no one down the corridor and motions for Hermione and Draco the go-ahead to bring out from the secret passage. She helps the other two by grabbing the lithe woman by her ankles and the three students carry the teacher down the hallway towards her room.

"Will she allow us into the room, Professor?" Hermione asks, worried that the ex-Death-Eater will not allow them entrance when she sees the state her lover is in.

"Hermione..." Artemis pulls a face that is somewhat akin to a smile. "Don't call me professor, call me Artemis, first off. And secondly, Bella is going to open the door in a matter of seconds. She already knows we are here." The door open, as if on que, but no one greeted them in. The students file in with the older witch in between them, once inside the door closes gently and they are met with Bellatrix. Hermione's heart skips a beat when she sees the woman that had tortured her only a few years ago. At first, she felt a sense of dread flow over her, thinking that it was a mistake to even think that the woman had ever changed. But when she saw Bellatrix's eyes flooded with worry and tears as she took the smaller woman from their arms and rushed to the bedchamber, the brunette realised this was clearly not the woman she had met at Malfoy Manor. Hermione, Luna, and Draco follow the raven-haired witch into the bedchamber and watch as she softly deposits her burden onto the bed. Kneeling down beside the bed, Bellatrix reaches for Artemis's hand and squeezes it softly. "What happened my love?"

Artemis smiles but drifts off to sleep. Hermione steps forward and clears her throat, gaining the attention of the older witch on the floor. "Professor McGonagall was hit by the Cruiciatus Curse, Ms. Lestrange."

Tears flow freely down Bella's face but suddenly her posture stiffens and she barks out orders. "Draco... Go get Minerva and bring her here. Luna... Could you please go to the fireplace and contact Cissy for me? I am going to need her help quickly. Hermione, I am going to need you to help me take Artemis's corset off so I can see the damage that was done." All three younger witches and wizard nod there heads in understanding, going off to do their assigned tasks. "Also, please do not call me Ms. Lestrange." Bellatrix says to Hermione after Draco and Luna left. "I was forced into that marriage and was free the moment Artemis killed that pig of a man. Call me Miss Black if you want to keep with civilities, or if not, call me Bella. There is a lot to discuss between the two of us but now is not the time." Frustration settles in Bellatrix's voice as she fumbles with the laces of her lover's corset. "For Merlin's sake! Why does she have to wear these infernal corsets?" She takes her fumbling hands from the stays and reaches for her dagger in her boot; Cutting the leather away from her lover's body revealed the horrible burns caused by the curse that covered her entire stomach.

Two loud gasps from the doorway followed the revealing of the burns. The Headmistress rushes to the bedside with Narcissa Malfoy following closely behind. "Hermione, my dear, could you, Luna, and Draco wait outside in the sitting room while me and the Black sisters take care of my aunt."

There was a groan of protest from the bed when Minerva mentioned the word 'aunt,' causing the three older women who were huddled around the bed with their wands out, to hurry with their duties. "I think she is waking up." Bellatrix says, relief evident in her voice.

The three students back out of the bedroom and close the door quietly behind them. Luna and Hermione sit on the loveseat as Draco paces back and forth across the room in front of the fireplace. "I can't believe the nerve of that Weasley girl!" He mutters angrily to no one in particular. "I don't understand why Aunt Artemis allowed her to hit her like that... she could have easily blocked that curse the way she did Potter's."

"Maybe she did it to get more people to side with us, Draco." Hermione says, causing the blonde wizard to stop in his tracks. "I mean think about it... you know how those three are, they have probably talked to others... saying how bad she is and maybe a few of them started to believe them." Draco snorts at the idea, thinking why would someone believe the likes of them. "Don't let you hatred for them cloud your judgement on what you know they are capable of. They were able to get plenty of people to side with them, even though the Daily Prophet was calling him The Boy-Who-Lies. So what is the best way for her to gain the popularity against The Boy-Who-Lived?"

"By allowing his girlfriend to hit her with a curse in front of the whole class." Draco answers, realisation filling his eyes. He lowers his voice and moves closer to the couple sitting in the loveseat. "But what if Minerva expels her and she goes and tells her parents what happened. Mother told me that Aunt Artemis taught at Hogwarts while they were on in school here and that means that once that 'girl' tells her parents the name of the professor she cursed, they are going to come here to the school and confront her. They may even go back to the Ministry and tell them something is not right about her because she hasn't changed physically in the last twenty-some-odd years." He slumps down in the armchair across from where the two witches were sitting, worry lines creasing his forehead. "If Umbridge discovers her here, they both will be in danger. It will be an all out war again... because if the Minister sees Aunt Artemis, then she will take her to Azkaban for being a half-breed terrorist. And if she sees Aunt Bella she will have her killed for being a free Death-Eater. I just hope that Minerva did the right thing by keeping that horrible girl here at the school than send her home to her parents."

"I did one even better, Draco." The three students turn to face the bedchamber door when they hear their Headmistress's voice. Minerva followed by Narcissa and then Bellatrix and Artemis, walk out of the room and take their seats in the remaining chairs in the sitting room. "I had just enough time to modify her mind as well as the rest of your classes mind before we all made it back into the castle. No one will remember what happened besides seven of us in this room." She turns to face her aunt and Bellatrix who had taken up residence in an armchair, with the raven-haired witch sitting in Artemis's lap. "It seems to me that you are feeling better, my dear aunt." Minerva quirks an eyebrow, trying to keep the grin from forming on her face, when she sees the intimacy the two women were sharing in front of the rest of the group.

Artemis lets out a low growl, almost likened to that of her animagus, "I have told you countless time Minerva do not call me aunt! Everyone here knows our relationship and know how I detest being called aunt." She sees Draco flinch in his chair. "Except by you Draco... I am thrilled that you consider me for that status in your family, even though Bella and I are only, just recently, engaged."

The Headmistress's eyes bulge at that statement and she almost spills the teapot that she had conjured up. "You are what? When were you planning on informing me, Artemis? It's not that I don't mind that you two are planning on getting married but I would have liked to have known."

Bellatrix smiles softly and looks at her fingers that were entwined with those of the woman whose lap she was sitting in. "Well... I am sorry that we broke the news to you like this. We were planning on telling everyone at the dinner party tonight. But..." She laughs softly while Artemis wraps her arms tighter around her. "I guess you all know now."

Everyone stares at the couple in amazement, the first person to react the news was Narcissa. She walks over to her sister and wraps her in a loving embrace. "Congratulations, Bella. I am so happy for you... you deserve this happiness." Tears form in the fairer-haired Black sister's eyes. "I just wish that this could have happened twenty years ago when it was supposed to." She then turns towards the woman whose lap her older sister was sitting in. "Artemis... my sisters and I have known you for almost thirty years, when Bella first went to Hogwarts. She had a crush on you then. She only told Andromeda and me about it, if mother and father ever found out... they would have tortured her then. I knew her to be her happiest when she was near you and even when she would just talk about you, I could see the spark in her eyes." Cissy smiles at the two women in front of her, tears streaming down her face now. "And now I see that spark back in her eyes... Thank you for loving her as much as you do." She hugs the two women and walks slowly back to her seat.

Hermione, touched by the way that she has now seen the two sisters act towards each other, starts tear up as well. Reaching for the young blonde witches hand that sat beside her, she clears her throat. "I want to share a bit of good news myself... if I may."

Artemis smiles knowingly, "Go on Hermione... I think we all can stand more good news before we discuss business that is at hand."

The young witch nods her head in understanding, "I just want to inform everyone that is here that I broke off the charade that was my relationship with Ron and now I am ready to let people know about Luna and myself being together."

Minerva is the first to speak this time, offering her congratulations towards the younger couple. "My dear, Miss Granger, I am so proud of you... you truly our a Gryffindor. I could see you were unhappy with young Mr. Weasley and that your conflicting emotions towards a certain pretty Ravenclaw were the reasons why your attitude at times was less than satisfactory." The Headmistress smiles as she looks about the room and notices a particular person desired the attention of the young witch she was talking to. "But I believe I must give the floor up for now... I think there is someone who needs to discuss something with you privately, Miss Granger."

Hermione looks about the room, wondering who it was that Headmistress McGonagall was referring to, when she sees Bellatrix was no longer seated on top of Artemis and was timidly walking towards the loveseat she and Luna occupied.

"I think it is time that we start with making dinner... Minerva and Cissy, would you be so kind as to follow me into the kitchen? I am needing a bit of help in there to prepare a quick lunch for I think it is a bit early for dinner."Artemis looks at the clock on the mantle. "Draco... Luna? You two can make your way back to your respective houses to get ready. Dinner will be served at five, but I expect to see you two back soon so we can discuss what we are all going to do about what happened earlier." Artemis says as she notices that her lover needed to say what she needed to say to the girl, alone. Everyone nods their heads in understanding, seeing the nervous look on the older raven-haired woman's face.

Once the room was devoid of any onlookers, Bellatrix spoke, her voice's wavering tones betrayed her recently gathered composure. "Hermione... do you mind if I sit down?" The younger witch shakes her head and moves to allow the older witch to sit beside her. "I know it is a bit hard for you to look at me, especially after what Cissy told me I had done to you back at the Manor. As Artemis has told you already, I was not myself the first time you met me." She glances down at the younger witch's left arm. "I want to say that I am sorry for how I treated you when we last met... when I found out about it, I was mortified by everything that I had done to not just you but to everyone I had hurt. I know that my apologies may fall upon deaf ears, and if that is the case then I am alright with that. But I had to say how sorry I am for what I had done to you."

Bellatrix stands up and walks away, her back turned towards Hermione, not seeing her stand to follow. "Bella wait... I know you were not yourself when you did the things you did. I saw it in your eyes that night at Malfoy Manor, it was like a cloud over your eyes. I see it gone now when I see the way you look at Artemis. I am just glad that you two are back together again and that nothing will get in the way of that."

The raven-haired witch smiles, but Hermione sees the pained expression in her eyes. "It means a lot to hear you say that Hermione... truly it does. I want to thank you also for helping bring Artemis back here. If she had tried to come here by herself, she would have never made it. And as you can see she is doing better, being a half-breed like she is may have helped her when dealing with staying composed around the rest of your class, but I just wish she had came up with a better way for others to follow her. If the young Weasley girl had been stronger with that spell it would have surely bled her out. You know, I appreciate what you said to her the other day... I know you had forgiven me for what I had done to you then, but I needed to say what I said to your face. Not hear you tell Artemis that you had forgiven me."

"So it was you who was the raven that day?" Hermione says with a smirk on her face. "I figured it was you but I didn't want to pry. I have a question for you Bella... I hope you can answer me properly because it has been gnawing at the back of my mind since Artemis said it. Why did she tell me that I was a lot like you? I mean yes I have heard stories about how you were when you came to school here, but the way she said it was almost as if she didn't expect any different from me, why is that?"

The older witch suddenly looks about the room for any sort of distraction, silently craving for someone to enter the room. "Well... It may be because... I." Bellatrix looks towards the door to the kitchen, concentrating on sending her message of help towards her lover that was in there.

She sighs with relief when the door does open and Artemis strolls through with a tea set on a tray. "I thought we all could use a spot of tea after such a hectic morning. Is everything alright?" She set down the tray on the coffee table and looks at both of the two witches in the room.

"I was just asking Bella why you said what you said the other day. And she has yet to answer me." Hermione states matter-of-factly still eyeing the other witch who has yet to speak since Artemis entered the room.

Artemis smiles a knowing smile, but plays dumb. "Well Hermione, why don't you refresh my memory on what I had said the other day and maybe I can answer your question." Bellatrix returns to the shorter woman's side once the woman had sat down in the armchair she had previously inhabited. "I am quite a bit older than I look... so the memory isn't what it used to be." The reddish-blonde haired woman jokes as Hermione's attention is returned to the couple that were sitting together.

The younger woman doesn't answer right away, she was too busy looking the couple over to speak. There were a few things she had missed when watching them together earlier that she began to notice now, and they things were a bit familiar from her own life. She saw how both women's hair was curly, Artemis's verged on being on the more wavy side of the spectrum, like hers, whereas Bellatrix's was extremely curly on the brink of unruly. _'It's a bit funny to think but if they ever had a child together, if they could have a child together, its hair would almost be like mine. Same thing with their eyes too... a mixture of Bella's chocolate brown and Artemis's grey coloured eyes and you could probably get hazel from that combination.' _Hermione stops mid-thought and stares at the two women with her mouth open.

The older witches look at each other then look back at Hermione. "Are you alright my dear?" Bellatrix asks as she sees no change in the younger witch's state of shock. Looking back at Artemis, she whispers. "Do you think we should see if she is alright?" Artemis nods her head, worry lines creasing her forehead.

As soon as the two women got close enough to Hermione, she snapped out of her daze. "Sorry about that... I just noticed a few things about you two that I didn't notice before and..." She shakes her head, trying to see it as nothing but a coincidence. "I know that this is stupid of me even to ask but was I adopted by my parents or something?"

Both women looked at each other confused and then look back at Hermione who was still shaking her head. "Why do you ask such a thing, Hermione?" Artemis asks, fearing that the girl had figured something out that she wasn't supposed to.

"It's just because I always thought I never really looked like my parents... never seen my personality in either of them. And when I turned eleven and received my letter admitting me to Hogwarts, I felt that there was no way that they were actually my parents. So that is why I am asking if you two know if I was adopted or not."

"Miss Granger... I do not believe that Artemis or Miss Black would know the answer to that question, and besides how could you know for certain if you were adopted or not? Did you ever ask your parents?" Minerva enters the room halfway through Hermione's revelation, cutting off any answer from the two women who were already in the room.

"Well, no... but I have had my suspicions for a long time now and there are a few things I have noticed about myself that I am just finding out where they might have came from."

"Who do you think your parents are, if it wasn't the Grangers?" Bellatrix questions, although she doesn't want to hear the answer. She reaches for Artemis's hand that had tightened around her waist and squeezed it, hoping to convey how she was feeling.

Hermione glances at the two women and takes a deep breath, "Well... I know it may sound weird and I have absolutely nothing to go on, but I think you two might be my parents."

The only sound after Hermione spoke, was the sound of a glass breaking that Narcissa had been carrying when she entered the room at the last half of Hermione statement. "Come again! Don't tell me you told her anything Bella?"

Artemis gives a sigh as exasperation seeps into her voice. "No, we didn't say a word Cissy... You did!"

Hermione looks at all four women who stood before her, each one's face held different emotion. And the feelings going through their mind couldn't have been more clear unless someone wrote them out on parchment.

Artemis and Bellatrix looked at Hermione tentatively and slight embarrassment lingered in their eyes as well. Minerva looked at Narcissa with slight disdain for opening her mouth and Narcissa looked at Artemis with confusion then startling realisation.

Hermione had figured out what was going on between the four older witches, but still did not want to assume what was going on at the moment, she asks. "Can someone please tell me why you are all looking at each other like that?"

The older women snapped out of their current states and looked at Hermione as if seeing her for the first time. She looks at them and rolls her eyes, "I said... Can someone please tell me why you are all looking at each other like that? I think I deserve an explanation for everything that is happening now."

Artemis is the first to speak, knowing that this would have to be dealt with now more so than later. "Yes... I believe it's time to tell you what is going on. But I believe that Minerva and Cissy should go and retrieve our last dinner guest so Bella and I can explain a few things that would help you best understand."


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Hope everyone enjoys this installment... I had just finished it this morning. Unfortunately, I have to go back to work tomorrow (6 days off never went by soo quickly.) But i promise I will update soon... I am bit of a geek by taking my notebook with me and jotting down ideas whilst on lunch.**_

* * *

_**Earlier...**_

Harry tears through the main hall and up the stairs leading to Gryffindor tower. He is stopped momentarily, as the Fat Lady was practising a new song and would not allow him entrance until she finished the last stanza. Once it was over, he gained entrance and burst through the door with a huff.

"WELL I CAN TELL SOMEONE DOESN'T APPRECIATE THE ARTS!" The Fat Lady screams before Harry slams the door behind the portrait closed.

"You alright Harry?" Ron asks as he sees the distress marring his friend's face.

"No... I just saw Hermione and Luna helping Draco take that _professor _back to her quarters." He facial features spun a tale of disgust and agitation. "I wonder why they had to do such a thing in the first place? She seemed alright at class today... she allowed her 'pet' Draco to go first, but I don't understand why she didn't let any of us go and why she let us out of class early?"

"Maybe she was drunk or something?" Ginny offers as she shrugs her shoulders. "Well, I can see why she didn't allow you to go honey... remember you missed your detention yesterday, so maybe she was just poking fun at you again? I hate that she does that to you... I mean after all you have done for the Wizarding Community, you would think she would show you at least some appreciation." The red-head clenches her fist in anger. "There are times I wish I could use the _Cruiciatus_ Curse on her at least once!"

Harry shakes his head, as slivers of fuzzy images invade his mind. _'What just happened?'_ He thinks to himself. _'Maybe the stress of this new professor is getting to me. But I could have sworn I saw an image of Ginny using that same spell towards the younger McGonagall...'_ He shakes his head again. _'That is just crazy... Ginny would never do such a thing as that.'_

* * *

"You are right Artemis." Minerva says as she squeezes her aunt's shoulder. "Come now Narcissa, let's go get your sister, Andromeda, and give these three a chance to talk."

"I didn't know you invited Andy as well, honey." Bellatrix states as her eyes flash with slight hesitation. "I haven't seen her in almost twenty-five years, not since father and mother disowned her."

Narcissa interjects. "I know Bella, but I have talked to her since the Battle at Hogwarts and I told her everything that had happened and she wants to meet you." The youngest Black walks towards her older sister and gives her a quick hug. "I am sure that if you found it in your heart to forgive me for my hesitations years ago, then I am more than certain Andromeda will welcome you with open arms... she was always the most forgiving out of the three of us." Narcissa clears her throat to gain the attention of Artemis and Hermione who were just staring at each other, waiting for the other two witches to leave. "We will take our time coming back here... You told Draco and Luna to meet back here soon, but we will tell them not to disturb you three until dinner at five. I think that should give you ample time for everything."

Artemis just nods her head and waits in silence for the women to leave. Giving one last brief glance around the sitting room, Minerva sighs and leads Narcissa out into the hallway. The door closes behind the two women softly. Hearing the latch click into place, Artemis quickly casts a few spells, barring anyone entrance until she opens it, with the simple wave of her hand. Hermione stares in awe at the sheer magical strength the smaller woman in front of her possesses. Bellatrix had left the room momentarily to retrieve something that had been stashed away under the bed in the next room. "Sorry, it took a bit more time to find it than I thought it would have, even with magic... but I found it nonetheless." She smiles as she sets down a small but battered tome, the black leather cover cracked in some places and Hermione could see grooves, where possibly gold or silver insets had been intricately placed, within its binding.

"What's that?" Hermione asks, as her curiousity got the better of her as she stares at book on the coffee table.

"This is an enchanted diary Hermione. I have kept it for nearly fifty years, but I had never used it until twenty-five years ago when I had started courting Bella." Artemis states as memories of the past flooded her mind. "It shows the person's memories instead of having it being written down in its pages."

"Like Tom Riddle's diary?" the younger witch asks with a hesitant look in her eyes.

"No, nothing that dark Hermione, think more like a portable Pensieve. Whenenver I would touch it, it would take whatever memory I had of the day and burn an impression into the page. Of course, the image would leave the page clean, but if a person whom the owner trusts with their life were to take the book, they would be able to see what the person's thoughts were. That is how I was able to get Bella's mind back to her over the summer. I was able to show her all of my memories of her and what we were to each other." Artemis smiles as Bellatrix reaches for her hand and entwines their fingers together.

"But that still doesn't answer my question, Artemis. Are you two my parents?"

"Hermione, dear, I am sorry to say... that we are not your mothers." The strawberry-blonde witch sees the hope drain out of the younger witch's face. "Believe me, I wish we were. You would have made us very proud, but you could consider us your godparents, because..."

"I found the page, my love." Bellatrix states as she places her wand on the table and gives the book to Artemis, who in turn hands it to Hermione. "You will be able to see everything. Artemis has always trusted you with her life, even though she hasn't seen you since you were a child."

Hermione stares at the blank page in front of her, when suddenly the page morphs into a moving picture of a beautiful meadow of green grass and heather abound.

_The sun was shining weakly through the clouds as three witches made their way across the meadow. A younger version of Bellatrix was walking beside Artemis, who still looked the same as she did now. The third witch had long flowing dark-brown hair and a noticeable baby bump underneath her robes. All three women were looking around warily, making sure no one was following them. They travel through the field towards the forest on the edge. It takes the women a few minutes to get to the edge of the forest where hidden in the shadows a small shack looms. Artemis is the last to enter the hut, looking over her shoulder one last time before closing the door._

"_Do you think anyone saw us?" The mystery woman asks as she turns to face her other companions._

"_No, I would have heard them if anyone was nearby." Artemis states as she sits down on a rickety chair in the corner of the room. "Now will you tell us what is going on Esmeralda? We have travelled for over two hours now and I seriously don't think you should have walked the whole way given your condition." She motions to the woman's stomach with a look of concern etched into her features._

"_She's right, you know? What is going on? My parents are already suspecting me of something bad, but luckily, they haven't figured out." Bellatrix says as she eyes Esmeralda's frightened state. _

"_I guess it is safe to tell you now..." The brunette stares at Bellatrix and with her voice filled with sadness continues to speak. "My husband has found out that you have been receiving information from Lucius on what Umbridge and her people have been planning." Both women eye their friend suspiciously causing her to continue. "I didn't say anything! How could I? We performed the Unbreakable Vow! I think he overheard you and Narcissa talking at Black Manor, Bella. Because ever since that day, it has been so hard for me to come find you to tell you what is going on. Luckily, Damien had a meeting to attend to. He didn't tell me where he was going or how long he was going to be gone but as soon as he left, I contacted you. I... I think he is going to talk to Umbridge and tell him what he knows. He will implicate all three of us."_

_Artemis stares at the sobbing woman in front of her. "Why would he bring you into this as well? I mean, you are having his child! You are not considered a freak of nature like me!"_

"_No... but he considers me a blood-tratior. That is what he told me... he said he would rather lose a child than to be married to a blood-traitor like me. He said... that he would rather lose the child anyway because my blood flows within it as well. I know you two are going to leave the country soon... please I beg you. Take me with you! I can't let him hurt my baby. She has done nothing wrong, she's is an innocent... I can't bear to think of what he would do if he came back from the meeting and I was still at the estate. But... it is not just myself I worry over... I worry for your safety too. What if he tells your parents Bella? Their ties to the Dark Lord are great and I couldn't live with myself if I didn't warn you that he is not above casting you down as a blood-traitor too. Even if he is your cousin."_

_Bellatrix looks at Artemis, tears forming in her eyes as she listened to her friend's words reverberate through her mind. "We have to take her with us... Artemis we just have to."_

"_I know." Artemis runs her free hand through her hair, thinking of everything that has happened thus far. "We need to move our plans up..."_

"_How far up my love?" _

"_We need to get out of the country now... while he is still at the Ministry. That should give us ample amount of time before people come to look for us. Bella, my dear, can we meet back at Cissy's? The manor is the only place that will be safe enough for us to meet up before we make our move. Esmeralda and I will go to the estate in Ireland. I want to make sure it is safe before we use it. Once it is safe, I will leave Esmeralda there and come to get you from Cissy's. If you have to go to Black Manor to retrieve some of your possession, please make sure Cygnus doesn't see you." Bellatrix nods her head slowly and turns her face away from Artemis, to hide the tears that were threatening to escape her eyes. "Please don't cry my love, I promise you I will come back and everything will be okay." She had moved from the armchair she was sitting in and knelt down in front of Bellatrix. Artemis takes the raven-haired witch's face in her hands, gently pulling it to face her own. "I wish that we didn't have to do it this way... but I have to make sure it is safe and I can't possibly protect all of you at once if we are walking into a trap at our new home. Esmeralda can't stay here... Damien has already told them about what she has done, so she is no longer safe here. But you, my love, have not been found out yet. Your parents don't know of what is going on so it gives you time to be able to collect your things and I will come back for you." Artemis stands and embraces Bellatrix in a fierce hug, both witches emotions apparent in the embrace. "I love you and will see you soon, my love."_

"_I love you, too." Bellatrix murmurs as they kiss._

The scene slow dissipates as another act unfolds...

_The wind is howling over a lush moor, where a looming shadow is cast by a stately manor. Artemis walks about the about the place with apprehension, something doesn't feel right. It felt as if something had been taken from her but she can't tell what it is. Then suddenly a sense of understanding dawns on her face. 'They have her...' She thinks to herself. 'They've taken Bella!' _

_She rushes back to the high grass near the edge of the lake that was adjacent to the property she was currently searching, stopping at the side of a huge outcropping of boulders. "Esmeralda! They caught her!"_

_A shadow moves from out behind a fissure between two of the rocks causing Artemis to jump slightly until she realies it was her friend. "What do you mean they have Bellatrix, Artemis? How do you know?"_

_Artemis throws her hands up in the air, frustration setting in, "I just know... It's like a feeling. Do you believe in soul mates?"_

"_Not really."_

"_Well they exist... I should know. I have been around for far too long on this earth not to notice things like that. And in all my years, I have only been in love with one person, she may have taken residence in other bodies throughout the years, but I know her soul. And that is who Bellatrix is. But I need to get out of here and save her before they hurt her. If they even harm a hair on her head, I..."_

"_You'll what?" growls a voice in the darkness._

_Artemis turns around to the location the voice came from. "Yaxley..." she sneers. "So good to hear your voice. That means Dalahov is somewhere nearby. Why are you here? And what have you done to Bella?" _

_Dalahov answers from the darkness on the other side away from Yaxley's voice. "You don't get to ask questions mongrel. But since this will be your last time on this Earth I think I can humour you by answering. We didn't do anything to that blood-traitor wench of yours... the Dark Lord has her safe and among his ranks, courtesy of Druella and Cygnus. And the reason why we are here is because of Mr. Damien Prewett's wife. She's a blood-traitor too, for consorting with the likes of you, so she has to spend time in Azkaban because of the new law Umbridge is trying to pass."_

"_It hasn't passed yet so you can not touch her! I swear to you I will kill you all if it is the last thing I do." Artemis snarls in the directions the voices came from. She backs up closer to Esmeralda's hiding spot, guarding her and the unborn baby from being harmed. Dropping her voice down to barely a whisper, Artemis tries to comfort the pregnant woman. "We will get out of here there is only two of them. It will be easy."_

_Laughter is heard resounding through the night sky as people start appearing from thin air. "Did you really think we would come alone, mongrel? How you survived for as long as you have, astounds me. Who did you bribe to be able to last as long as you have?"_

_Artemis smirks, even though the situation at hand seemed grim. "You know what really astounds me, Yaxley? It's the fact that you even used the word 'astounds' correctly. And besides we are getting out of here whether you like it or not"_

_Yaxley growls menacingly, "We'll see about that." With a wave of his hand, he signals for a group of wizards to attack. Arrow shaped ballistics shoot out of their wands, heading for the two women. Using this as an opportune moment to make a quick getaway, Artemis grabs Esmeralda's hand and the Dissapparate into the night._

Blinding white light follows as the book closes upon itself and Hermione finds herself back in the present time.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Bellatrix asks when she sees how pale the young woman is.

"Yeah... it's just a lot to take in is all."

Artemis walks over to the sofa and plops down beside Hermione. "It was a lot to have lived through."

The younger witch notices her professor has tears in her eyes. _'This must be the memory that makes her blame herself for what happened to Bellatrix.' _Hermione thought as she watches the raven-haired witch envelope the smaller one into a calming embrace. "Sorry to intrude... but Artemis what happened to the woman from the memories?"

"Well, we Dissapparated to another hideout I had available to me, that was located in Glastonbury. Sure it was a risk to take, but I saw no other option. I could tell Esmeralda didn't have much longer to wait till she gave birth and the fact that I had several magical arrows sticking in my shoulder and leg, we had no other choice but to Apparate to there. It was, after all, the closest hideout we had. She tried her hardest to hold on to the baby until I could heal myself properly, but the baby couldn't wait." Artemis wipes her eyes and looks at Hermione. "She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl... but it took a toll on her and... I tried... I tried to do everything in my abilities to keep her alive but she was just too weak. It was the stress, you see. But her last words to me were- 'Keep Hermione safe. Please whatever you do, keep her safe.' And I did the best thing I could, I kept you safe for a couple of weeks until it got to the point that Umbridge's men were almost breaking down my door. I sent word to Minerva... she came and took you away, so you would be safe from harm. I knew if they ever caught me and you were with me... they would have taken you back to Damien and I couldn't allow that to happen. You were too young to Apparate with me out of the country but it... it..."

Artemis stops to try and steady her voice which wavered as she saw Hermione's tears flowing freely down her face. She looks away a sighs, a deep gut-wrenching sigh that caused a torrent of tears to flow down her cheeks. "It broke my heart for me to give you away... even if it was to my niece. I told Minerva that I had to leave. They wouldn't have stopped searching for me, so I just Apparated to the only other place I knew to go. I went to Romania and stayed out of sight in the wilds near the dragons. It was dangerous for me to stay there but I knew no one would find me there. I wasn't able to get back until three months later when I heard what was happening back in England and by then I was too scared to try and get you back. But I watched out for you every so often, Minerva told me that she gave you to a Muggle couple who couldn't have children of their own. I watched how much they doted on you and realised it was for the best. I knew I couldn't give you everything you deserved. Not without Bella by my side, but with her in Azkaban and no one knowing the truth about what happened to her, I was lost. So I moved back into the wilds until last year when I felt the tugging on my heart that she was in danger. That was the time I first saw you again, it had been years since I had last laid eyes on you, but I knew who you were in that tiny amount of time. That was the reason I also took this job... you see even though you are not our child, we feel that you are the closest thing to a daughter that we had ever considered having. Not until very recently of course... which is another surprise that we are going to announce at dinner tonight."

Artemis sighs to herself, feeling the weight that had once buried her soul, lift and leave her feeling lighter than she had in a long time. Casting a side-long glance in Hermione's direction, she lets out a small chuckle. "You probably hate me now, don't you? I mean I hate myself for every second of that memory... not being able to save Bella from being _Imperiused_, not being able to save your mother from dying, and not being able to protect you because of people who hated what I am. You see there were so many things in you that reminded me of your mother, Bellatrix, and of that night; that it hurt so bad to see you in my class, that I almost didn't want to take this job again. But of course Minerva told me everything about you before I took it, that I had to get to know you." She stares at Hermione, after she bared her heart and soul, slightly worried of what the girl would do next.

Neither of the older witches counted on what happened next. Hermione reaches for both of the women, hugging them tightly, saying. "Thank you... for everything that you did for me. I know this is a lot for me to take in now, but I don't think I could have received better godparents than you two. Everything makes sense now... I remember seeing you before, Artemis, but I couldn't remember until just now. You came into the backyard one time when I was four. Mother was washing dishes in the kitchen and I was out playing in the sandbox and I saw a fox... I didn't know what a fox was at the time," Hermione grins with embarrassment. "I thought it was a little dog and I went over to play with it. I remember we played for a few minutes until mother saw what I was doing and had a fit. She ran out of the house, grabbed me up, and took the broom after you. I cried and told her that she scared away my friend, I never saw you after that day though."

Artemis grins at the memory, thinking back to how much fun she had with the toddler that was Hermione. "I came back... you never saw me, but I did come back. I was a bit more careful after that incident." Her tone becomes a bit more serious as she sees the change from happiness to sadness on the younger witch's face. "Hermione... don't beat yourself up about what you did to your parents. You did the right thing to protect them, not many people would have done what you did. Taking all the safety away from you just to keep the ones you love from getting hurt. I am very proud of you. And I know it may not seem like much and you are not really in need of guardians now, especially after all that you have done in your life. But Bella and I are here if you need us, we are after all your godparents."

Bellatrix, who was silent for the most part, cleared her throat and added to her lover's comment. "I know I wasn't able to see you when you were born or when you were growing up, like Artemis did, but I really want to get to know you. Your real mother, was a beautiful person, with a loving heart. She didn't care what a person was or where they came from, as long as there was good in their heart that was all that mattered. I know we can't treat you like a little child, because you are a young woman now, but we want to be a part of your life... and we want you to be a part of our baby's life. I know it is something you have to think about, and by all means take your time about it, but know we really care about you and will make sure no one ever hurts you."

Hermione smiles and nods her head. She liked the idea of having the two women as godparents. They were both very smart talented witches; who, like her, were willing to take a stand even though the majority may disagree. But she knew it would be best to consider what Bellatrix said about taking her time before she made her decision. "I would like to get to know you better... both of you. It is going to take some time on both our ends but I believe that once we get to know each other we will become a tight-knit family." Hermione smiles again when she sees the two women smile back at her. Almost forgetting what Bellatrix had said before, she blushes with embarrassment. "I am sorry we got caught up in everything before... I should have said it then, but congratulations on your pregnancy. I know both of you will be more than able parents."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: Sorry for lack of updates recently... going back to work slightly diminished the voice of my muse and caused this chapter to take longer to write than anticipated. I would like to thank everyone who has been following this story and I appreciate the reviews I have received thus far! Now onto Chapter 10!**

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The three women fell into a comfortable silence, something Hermione never experienced before with someone besides Luna. It is in that silence she was able to contemplate her first week back at Hogwarts. There was no doubt in her mind that it had made for one hell of a week. _'I never felt this way when hanging out with Ron, Harry, and Ginny... there was always someone who broke the silence in one form or another. Harry would always complain that the quiet was too much, and would start a topic of conversation or get up and leave. Ronald would always have this look like he had ate something bad and was going to sick it back up when no one spoke for long periods. And Ginny... she would always start moving about as if the stillness was boring her. I would have to just read something, anything to not concentrate on them. I prefer the quiet; it always me to be able to make an assessment of any situation that should arise. I'm surprised that I was able to act as level-headed as I did while spending time with any of them.' _Hermione thinks to herself as she basks in the tranquil atmosphere that had been created by the three of them. Glancing at the couple that had taken up residence on the sofa along side her, she had to smile as she watched how happily in love they were. Artemis had sat down with her back against the armrest, sitting almost sideways, with Bellatrix leaning against her torso. The raven-haired witch had undone the glamour spell she had cast to hide her baby bump from the rest of the group. She had admitted earlier before the serene silence that they wanted to wait until the perfect moment to tell the rest of the group. Hermione laughs to herself when she thinks back to when she removed the glamour from her the first thing Artemis did was place her hand protectively over Bella's stomach. She watches them for a few more seconds, until she realises there has been one question that had been burning in her mind since before she saw the memories from the diary.

"Bella... how did you and Artemis meet? I know I heard that you first met at Hogwarts... maybe I should have worded it better. When did you two get together, is what I am trying to ask."

Bellatrix smiles as she thinks back to that one particular year at Hogwarts. "Well, I had always had a crush on Artemis ever since I started my first year here. There was something about her that instantly drew me to her. Whenever I would leave for summer holiday, back to Black Manor, I would always cry. I never wanted to leave from her sight. I guess it was my final year that we started seeing one another. I had just turned seventeen and the 'Tracer' had been taken off me and I felt like I was grown-up then... so, I decided to confront her about my feelings for her. Knowing that she always took a midnight stroll around Black Lake, I decided that would be the best time to approach her; because I knew if I had tried any other time someone would find out or interrupt my confession." She looks behind her where Artemis was also listening into the tale, a look of amusement was etched on the smaller woman's face. "It took me three nights before I got up the courage to confront her. I would go and follow her path, kept hidden just enough so she wouldn't notice me there... how was I supposed to know that she actually heard me the first day?"

Artemis laughs at this point in the story. "Well my dear, if you had just remembered what I had taught you then you would have known that I have excellent hearing."

Bellatrix slaps the other witch's arm playfully, "Do you want to tell the story or do you want me to?"

She stops laughing, "Go on Bella, finish your story."

"Okay. Well on the third day I decided I would finally confront her on the waterfront. But to my dismay, she was already waiting for me to come out of the bushes."

"_Good evening Miss Black, I was wondering when you were going to come out of the darkness and talk to me... this makes the third night of you following me, doesn't it? What is it you wanted to talk to me about, Bellatrix? Come walk with me it is such a beautiful night... I don't want to enjoy it alone." Artemis waits as the raven-haired young woman walks towards. _

_Bellatrix just looks around slightly embarrassed that she had been found out, but her lineage made it easier for her to shake off that moment of embarrassment. She was a Black after all, and Black's never show weakness. "Of course Professor McGonagall, I will walk with you. There are a few things I need to get off my chest anyway."_

_The smaller woman smiles, "Well I could tell something must have been bothering you for you to stalk me for three nights straight." The raven-haired woman colours again. "I'm sorry for embarrassing you Bella... now what was it you wanted to speak to me about." _

_The young Slytherin woman smiled inwardly, feeling even more love for the woman for using her nickname that only her sisters ever used. "Well... professor..."_

"_Please, call me Artemis."_

"_Alright Artemis... I know this may sound strange. I mean we hardly know each other, besides in a scholastic setting. I have to say it or I feel as if I will go mad if I don't. But I feel as if I have known you my whole life...or longer. It is strange but I feel so close to you and I... I feel as though, oh Merlin why can't I get this out? I had everything planned out in my head and now that I have a chance to say it, the words have left me."_

_Artemis smiles and takes the other witch's hand in her's. "You don't have to say a word, my dear. I feel it too." She pulls Bellatrix closer and kisses her tenderly under the light of the full moon._

Hermione stares in awe as Bellatrix finishes the story, "Wow that is simply amazing, I have never known anyone to have that kind of 'how we got together story.' I guess you two really are soul mates."

The two witches smile at one another, feeling that they are making head-way towards becoming hopeful pillars in the younger witch's life. Feeling that it was time to finally ask Hermione how her and Luna became an item, Bellatrix starts to speak when she is interrupted by a knock on the door. All three look at each other stunned at the sudden outside noise. Artemis looks up at the clock on the mantle. "Oh shit... it is five. Our guests have arrived!" She waves her hand and the door magically opens to allow their five guests to enter.

Bellatrix stands upon seeing her long lost sister Andromeda. Tentatively, she walks towards her two sisters and stares at her middle sibling. Afraid of what she would say if she spoke first, Bellatrix started the conversation. "Andy... you haven't aged a bit."

Andromeda smiles and gives her older sister a once over, "You haven't either... but I do notice a little change in your appearance." The middle sister looks down at Bella's stomach and smiles. "Cissy didn't tell me you were pregnant."

Narcissa whips her head around to eye her oldest sister, clearly hurt that she wasn't told before everyone else save Artemis and Bellatrix.

Bellatrix blushes profusely when she looks down to see she had forgotten to cast the glamour charm back on her, to hide the noticeable baby bump. When she lifted her head, she noticed everyone's eye were glued to her. "We..." She looks over towards Artemis, who was receiving rather hurt looks from her neice. "We were going to tell everyone over dinner, but I forgot to hide it until then."

"I understand why you would want to hide as much as you can from others , Bellatrix." Luna states as she moves from behind the other women. "But I think it is better to share the good news with friends and family. It is wise to hide it from all others though." The blonde-haired witch makes her way of to her girlfriend and wraps her arm around Hermione's waist. "How did the talk go? They are not your parents are they?"

"It went well, and you are right they are not my parents... but they did know my mother and were chosen to be my godparents. Even though I would have truly wished that they were my parents, I couldn't have received a better alternative though." Hermione smiles as she watches the women and Draco in front of her. Dagger-like stares, which were borne from their feelings of being untrustworthy of the news, were shot towards Bellatrix and Artemis. Both witches were clearly abashed. "Everyone..." The brunette speaks up to give the two women a helping hand. "They didn't want to tell anyone until they felt that the time was right and when they would know for certain the pregnancy would stay. Could you imagine if they had told you all earlier and then the next thing you know, Bella lost it? I, for one, applaud their motives. It saves heartache in the long run."

The looks on Minerva, Andromeda, and Narcissa's faces softened as they heard the younger witch's words. Realisation, that Hermione was right, outweighed their former hurt. Narcissa is the first to congratulate the couple by wrapping her oldest sister in a fierce hug. "I am so happy for you, Bella. I know I didn't act like it when I first found out, but I truly am happy."

"How far along are you?" Andromeda asks from behind her younger sister.

"Five months." The raven-haired witch replies, flush colouring her normally alabaster complexion. After the tense situation of everyone in the room finding out about her pregnancy, another constricting thought of her current situation with Andromeda, niggled its way into her mind. Feeling that the idea had to be disposed of right away, Bellatrix moves past Narcissa to meet with her long lost sister, face-to-face. "Andy, I am sorry about what happened all those years ago. I should have stood up for you, but my own feelings for someone that mother and father wouldn't approve of got in the way. I know that is a trite excuse... but please know that I am terribly sorry for my inaction." She dares to look into her sister's eyes, frightened to see animosity. But what she sees is nothing she had ever expected after twenty-five years of absence from her sister's life; there was understanding and hopefulness that the situation would stay buried in the past. Seeing the emotions she saw in Andromeda's eyes, created a catalyst in her response. Bellatrix closed the distance between her and her estranged sister, and pulled her into a hug that conveyed every ounce of love that the raven-haired woman, ever had and ever will have for her younger sister. No one dared disturb the reunion of the sisters, they all knew that this precise moment in time was critical to mend their once shattered relationship. After a few moments, Bellatrix pulled away on her own and looked around the room at everyone. Her gaze met with everyone elses until her eyes fell on Artemis.

Artemis smiled at her as she moved forward towards the three sisters, "I am so glad to see three of my favourite people getting along after all these years." She wraps her arms around both women's waist and motioned for Narcissa to come over as well, to create a group hug with her new family. Her voice came out low so as for no one, save the women in the circle could hear. "Now... there are going to be some dark days ahead of us soon. Umbridge is trying everything she can to drive half-breeds, like myself, into extinction. I need you two to please take care of Bella should anything happen to me in the months to come." Bellatrix squeezes Artemis's side, bringing the shorter woman to look into her eyes and see the fear that resided there. She continues, clarifying her last statement so they would know she was not looking for trouble."I promise you all. I will never go and attack that toad of a woman... that would be suicide. But I feel with what has happened in the past to three certain people who have a certain misplaced vendetta against me, that the Ministry will soon try to break down the gates here at Hogwarts and bring with them a battle to the death. And if that happens then I will have to fight, for I will not sit idly by while they bring ruin to ones who can not help they were born what they are. And I will not allow them to capture me and take me to my own death after all the fighting I have done to keep the ones I love in my life. They can not take that away from me. So please just promise me you will take care of Bella and the baby if the worst should occur."

Andromeda and Narcissa both nod solemnly, understanding the severity of the conversation and the weight of the promise they were making. "We promise." Both witches replied in unison.

A smile of relief replaces the frown on Artemis's face as she hears the women's response. "Thank you, both of you. That takes a lot off my mind by hearing you say that." She turns around to face everyone who was in the sitting room, after ending the embrace that sealed the pact between the women. "Now I am sorry for the wait... and I am also sorry that the meal was not ready yet. I feel so bad that I invited you all to a dinner that has not been made yet."

Andromeda was the first to respond, after realising that Artemis was going to end the dinner plans because of the lack of food being in front of them. "We don't have to postpone the dinner, Artemis." The smaller woman looks at the almost identical younger version of her soul mate quizzically. "We... meaning Bella, Cissy and I will prepare dinner. I am sure there are a few things you need to speak to your neice and the students about."

Artemis nods her head, knowing that by them working together to prepare dinner would also allow for them to have time to reacquainte themselves with one another. She watches as the three sisters walk into the kitchen, smiling to herself as she sees how happy Bella was now. Of course, she had been happy before this little reunion but seeing her middle sister after so long brought back even more light upon her features, almost causing a sort of iridescence to exude out of the raven-haired witch.

Turning back to face the others, who were left over in the sitting room, she feels a sense of duty take over her. "Andy is right... there are a few things we need to discuss about what happened today. I hope that it will help us come up with a plan that can keep those three from destroying something that they do not understand." She walks over to the armchair that sits nearest to the fireplace and with a wave of her hand summons a tea set and five cups. "I know what you are all thinking..." Artemis starts as everyone settles into their respective seats with a cup of tea in their hands. "You all think that what I did this morning was a bit rash. And I agree. I should have never allowed that curse to hit me. I was just thinking about what the others would think when they say a member of Dumbledore's Army actually use the Cruiciatus curse on someone that didn't block it. I was hoping that it would cause the other students to be a bit more sympathetic to my cause. And it was working too, until when I awoke from passing out after you three brought me here. That is when I realised the ramifications of my judgement. I have to thank you, Minerva for altering all of their minds save for Hermione, Luna, and Draco. If someone really felt bad for what happened this morning they would have done the right thing by contacting their parents, therefore having the Ministry alerted because she used an Unforgivable Curse. That would have gave them the right to do an investigation therefore giving Umbridge a clear path to me." She pauses momentarily to allow her words to sink in.

Taking a sip of her own tea as the others wait, undoubtedly knowing that she wasn't finished with her speech. "But I feel that even though you were able to modify their minds, Minerva, that there are few in the group that can overcome the spell, given a few days, and they will remember everything. Namely, Potter and the two Weasleys. I feel that even though none of them are as bright as the students who are currently in this room, they will still find a way to be able to discern the original memories of this morning than the ones you have planted. My question to all of you is... What shall we do when that happens? The Weasleys' have a father who works right within the Ministry, it would be nothing for them to owl him and tell him what happened once they regain this memory."

"What makes you feel as though they will know that their minds have been modified, Aunt Artemis?" Draco asks as he sets his cup down on the coffee table.

"Harry..." Hermione states as she realises the problems that will arise if this scenario should ever happen. "Harry spent so much time with Dumbledore and no one really knows the extent of what he may have taught Potter. Things that occurred during their meetings were never fully disclosed to anyone, including me and I was once one of his best friends. But there may be a way to keep him from helping the other two from regaining their representations of today's activities..."

Everyone looks at Hermione waiting for her to finish. They all desperately wanted to find out what could keep their new alliance together and out of harms way.

"I know..." Luna says as she smiles at the brunette sitting comfortably close to her side. "We throw a bit of dissension in their ranks. To be honest with you all, and sorry if this sounds a bit condescending, but none of them are that bright. The only reason Harry and the others were able to defeat Voldemort and also figure out Dumbledore's cryptic riddles was because of Hermione. We would all be living under his reign if it weren't for her."

Hermione blushes at the words of affirmation from her girlfriend. "Well I wouldn't go as far as saying it was all because of me, love. But you are right about the rift we need to cause between them. I am privy to a few of their secrets... secrets that if were brought out into the light would cause them to tear at each other and leave all three of them alone in the anguish of being betrayed."

"They came out and told you these secrets?" Artemis queries as she sees the opportunity of a lifetime being brought to her attention.

"Not all of them no... it is amazing what you can learn while others sleep. Especially Ron and Harry, while I was travelling with both of them on our quest to find the Horcruxes. I found out that Harry is only dating Ginny to be closer to Ron and I found out that Ron's fear of spiders has only grown ten-fold when they were nearly eaten by the group of acromantulas that reside in the Forbidden Forest. They do not know that I heard them utter their secrets while they slept, the only person who knows about Ron's being deathly afraid of spiders is Harry and Ginny is the only one who knows the truth about Harry. Unfortuantly, Ginny's enigma is only known by myself and Lavender Brown." She smiles when her eyes lock with Draco's. "I'm sorry mate, but she has bit of a crush on you." Draco blanches at the knowledge of having a Gryffindor, more so one such as Ginny, liking him. "But like I said this secret is a bit unfortunate because there is no way it will benefit us. I feel, however, that the two I have mentioned before hand will be enough to undermine them."

Minerva looks at her student as if seeing her for the first time. "I never knew you to be this underhanded, Miss Granger." The Headmistress tries to sound as aggrieved as possible, but her voice's power was diminished by the faint smile that appeared on her lips.

"Well... when I was first sorted the Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, but I told it no because I knew how they would have reacted to me being muggle-born. Back then I didn't know that I was actually pure-blood, if I did then maybe I would have considered it." Seeing the look on her former Head of House, Hermione quickly amended her original statement. "Not that I didn't love having you as my Head of House, professor, but I think I would have fit in better in another house than Gryffindor."

"I understand, my dear... but I think we should hold the rest of our conversations until later..." Minerva watches as the kitchen door opens revealing several covered dishes being levitated towards the dining quarters.

They all filed into the dining room, their hunger after a long day seemed to be magnified by the sudden smell of uncovered dishes before them. Eating in silence allowed everyone to ponder upon the day's events, each person hoping that the day would never come when the Ministry would take away the one person who had touched their lives in one way or another.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry about the delay... ****Quite a few ideas have been barraging my brain lately. It tends not to be healthy having two different fanfics, three completely different novels and also a meeting to plan all attacking your brain at once! But I digress... now on to the story!**

The next morning Hermione awoke with a smile on her face as she stares at the curtain of very blonde hair in front of her. It reminded her of how deliciously sore she was at that particular moment. Realising that her hand was draped possessively over the fairer-haired witch, Hermione start rubbing tiny circles around Luna's bare stomach causing her to lean further into the brunette. As she continued the barrage of caresses to the other witch's navel, Hermione thinks back to how the night before had played out.

_After dinner, Artemis filled the Black sisters in on the conversation that they had missed while preparing the meal. All three listened on with interest as the half-breed woman filled them in on Hermione's plan._

"_That is a great idea, Hermione. But..." Bellatrix was the first to speak after being briefed on what had transpired. "But how are you going to be able to do this without them suspecting a thing? I mean, they will know that maybe you had a hand in it after all... that is if you are not careful. I don't want to see them try and hurt you."_

_Hermione feels love fill her chest as she hears the raven-haired woman's motherly warning. She was glad, almost to the point of spontaneous combustion, at hearing someone have that much concern for her and the fact that she knew it was coming from one of her godmothers almost made her burst into tears. The brunette finally spoke after reigning in her emotions. "I have thought about that aspect of 'outing' their secrets to the public, but I am afraid I haven't came up with a plan that can keep from implicating myself. But I am working on it and I am certain that this plan will work. They are all too hot-headed for it not to." Hermione smiles as she sees everyone nodding their heads in agreement at how rash the trio were.  
"I think I may have a suggestion, Miss Granger..." Minerva state, "I have been thinking of a solution since the moment you mentioned your idea. What if I help with the plan?"Everyone in the room stared at her in amazement, wondering if their ears had heard right. "Well here is what I was thinking could happen... You said Miss Weasley knows the reason why Mr. Potter is dating her is because of her brother, right?" Hermione shakes her head 'yes'. "Well I could always confront him and tell him that Miss. Weasley has been worried lately about him and his lack of commitment towards their relationship and wanted me to talk to him. And as for Ron we could always have someone bring him a baby acromantula and when he freaks out the person could say, 'Well I thought Harry said you always wanted one for a pet?"_

_Hermione's eyes grow to the size of saucers as she stares at her Headmistress,"I never knew you would have had such dastardly thoughts running rabid in your head like that, Minerva!" The brunette smirks while trying to hold back a chuckle as she sees the older woman blush. _

"_I think it is because I have spent more time with you lot than I think possible. Besides, have you ever known my dear aunt to ever hold her tongue on things that she is passionate about? And I feel that with the way things have transpired, teaching them a lesson in understanding would benefit them a lot." _

Thinking back on what her Headmistress had said made Hermione still smile, she still could not get over how the older woman wanted to willing include herself. But as the brunette thought on it more, she understood why Minerva would do such a thing as that. Artemis is her aunt, after all, and if they did somehow retain their memory of yesterday morning then that would cause a lot of trouble if Ginny spoke to her father. Hermione just wished that things would have been different and that her ex-friends would have been more accepting of her godmothers. _'I like the sound of that... I just wish that I had asked them more about my mother, but I know that there is too much to focus on now. Especially after reading the evening edition of The Prophet... I can't believe that Umbridge is going to do random searches through every Wizarding community for half-breeds! I have a feeling that she is going to come here first, she had too much trouble with the centaurs here the last time for her not to want to come here.' _Hermione runs her unoccupied hand over her face as images of Dolores's men coming into Hogwarts and taking everyone that she has come to know and love who are half-breeds and shipping them off to Azkaban._ 'Maybe she won't come here first because I remember a segment on a pack of werewolves wreaking havoc in Wales so maybe that will be there first stop. But if those three gain their memories back... and they owl Arthur or Molly then they will certainly say something to the Ministry and...' _Hermione sighs audibly as her thoughts keep running over themselves.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, the brunette feels Luna's hand cover her own that hand been absent-mindedly drawing circles around the blonde's navel. "A sickle for your thoughts?"

Hermione smiles and tightens her grip on the blonde's waist. "If that was the case my love, you would be very rich indeed."

"You are worried that Artemis will get found out before we have enough supporters to go against the Ministry; which will, in turn, cause them to realise that Bellatrix is not dead and that both will end up in Azkaban. Minerva told you after we all left and she showed us to our marvalous new quarters, which I really do like by the way, that you should not worry about Artemis... they have a plan, just in case any Ministry official comes to Hogwarts. As for Harry, Ron, and Ginny, Minerva is going to "talk" to Harry today and Draco has made arrangements for Pansy to send the parcel with the baby acromantuala in it. I quite like the idea that they are going to have the note say it is from Seamus, saying that Harry told him that Ron would love it. Everything is going to plan and they have you to thank for the plan to keep those three from telling anyone about how she reacted to the _Cruiciatus _Curse."

"You are right and I know I shouldn't worry... Minerva even told me, the day I went to discuss my problems with her, that Umbridge wouldn't even dare come here, not with all the centaurs within the Forbidden Forest."

Luna rolls over to face Hermione, staring intently into her eyes. "But you are still worried that they will find away to take her away... I can understand that. But I promise you that we will help her and Bella, should anything happen. Besides, you do know that the whole Slytherin crowd know that she is half elf and still support her right?" Hermione shakes her head 'no.' "Yeah, Draco told me when we went back to our common rooms. Also after Divination class the other day, Firenze told me that all the creatures in the Forest are ready the moment Umbridge's people come through the gate. Even Hagrid and Professor Flitwick are hopping mad about the situation that the Ministry is placing them in. So, there is nothing to worry about my love... Even if those three do not want to help, she has a lot of friends to back her up." Luna kisses Hermione softly on the lips before continuing. "Now... is that going to be it on your worrying or do I have to do something to keep your mind off of everything?"

"What do you mean..." Hermione starts, but is cut off from speaking when Luna quickly straddles her waist and leans down, crashing their lips together in a passionate kiss. When the need for air was at an almost breaking point, the two witches broke apart slightly panting. "What were we talking about again?"

The blonde smiles devilishly, "See I told you I could take your mind off things... and I didn't even have to go get the water tank full of Nargles to do it."

* * *

Harry was walking towards the Great Hall on his way to breakfast when Headmistress McGonagall walks towards him. "Mr. Potter a word, if you please." He nods his head solemnly and follows the older woman to her office.

At first glance, it seemed that the Headmistress had kept the office the same way as Dumbledore had the last time Harry had entered it. Looking about the room more closely, Harry noticed there were a few odds and ends that had been switched around. Including in that, was the placement of the desk that Minerva sat behind. He cautiously makes his way to the high back chair on the opposite side of the desk and waits for Professor McGonagall to speak.

"Mr. Potter... how have things been lately? I know I haven't been able to talk to you much since the beginning of the term; just that one incident in your Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where you tried to harm my niece. I hope everything has been alright after that?"

Harry looked like Ron did after the slug vomiting spell had back-fired during their second year. "Yes Professor, everything is going pretty well. It's just... it's just my DADA class." Minerva quirks her eyebrow, waiting for the you wizard to finish. "I know she is your niece and all but I just have the feeling that she hates me, Ron, and Ginny. I know it sounds strange but that's how I feel."

"You felt the same way about Severus, Harry, and you see he did everything he could to protect you, all the way to the end. Now I know that Artemis may be a bit rough around the edges, she used to live in a dragon infested area of Romania for Merlin's sake! But she can never hate anyone, Harry... now are you sure that your problems are coming from my niece or are they coming from something that is troubling you in your personal life?"

"What do you mean by that, Professor McGonagall?"

"Well... I know I shouldn't do this but a student was worried about you. They insisted that I talk to you in hopes that I could help you with your conflicting emotions that could allow you to be able to make the proper decision in your life."

"Professor... I assure you that I have no idea what you are talking about." Harry could feel his face grow red with embarrassment and the possibility of Minerva knowing his secret.

The older witch sighs and shifts in her chair, "Now Harry... I know I may seem old to you but I do know a thing or two about love. And to be quite frank with you, I don't understand why you would hide your feelings for young Mr. Weasley by latching on to his sister." Harry stares stunned at his professor, allowing her to finish her well-rehearsed speech. "Of course, he may not even carry the same feelings for you that you do for him; but I have always felt that honesty is the best policy. If you want I could even sit down and talk to both of you about the situation just in case he has problems accepting your admittance. I believe..."

Harry stands and slams his hands on the desk in front of him, causing Minerva to jump slightly. "Who told you! Who told you about my feelings for Ron?"

"Now Mr. Potter... if you could just sit back down and relax. You know I can't disclose information such as that to anyone. I would have never even approached you about it if I didn't feel that it wasn't causing you to suffer in your classes. But as I see that it is, I felt as though I should at least tell you that if you need anyone to talk to about what is going on in your life, I am here for you and am willing to help in any way possible."

Harry ignored everything that the headmistress said, his green eyes were alit with rage. "There is only one person in this entire world besides me who knows about my secret... I can't believe that Ginny would do this to me! I told her this in absolute secrecy! Never once had I told any of her mysteries and yet here she is blabbing mine! I'm sorry Professor McGonagall, I have to go." He storms out the door without so much as a word from Minerva, stating that it was okay for him to leave.

The older witch sits behind her desk for a few more minutes just in case the young wizard came back. When she noticed he was no longer returning, Minerva pulled out a piece of parchment from the top drawer. Taking her quill from the well, she set to work jotting down a very short, cryptic message.

_All's well on the front._

_-M_

She opens the window and instantly a large barn owl swoops into the office. Minerva stares at the bird for a few seconds, "Alright, I need you to give this to either Hermione Granger or to Luna Lovegood. Do not give it to anyone else. Do you understand? It is imperative that only they receive this."

The owl nods its head in understanding and flies back out the window that it had entered from. Sighing as she walks back to the chair behind her desk, Minerva starts to think about what she is going to do if the worst case scenario does occur. _'If Ginny does retain her memory even without Harry's help, I could always tell Arthur and Molly that Artemis trained with Aurors in Romania... also, I could tell them that the curse itself wasn't that strong.' _Minerva shakes her head as she thinks about the day before. _'No matter what she told Ginny... the young woman meant that curse. It was evident when I saw the bruising and bleeding that had been caused. If it wasn't for Hermione, Luna, and Draco, my aunt would have died yesterday.' _The older witch shivers at that thought, hating the fact that her oldest living relative could have been destroyed on the school grounds.

Having nothing else to do in her office the rest of the day, Minerva decides to pay a visit to Artemis and Bellatrix. Hoping to get more information out of them about the soon-to-be new edition to the family.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note: **_I seem to be writing a bit of an apology a lot when it comes to this story... it's not that I have lost steam with it, it's just that I am almost finished with a novel I have been working on for over a year. A couple more chapters and it will be completed! It has been taking all my time and energy to finish. Plus, a little one-shot for Dragon Age took a couple of hours away from finishing this chapter... Okay, okay... I leave you to read chapter twelve!_

His blood was boiling to the point he felt steam was coming out of his ears. Even during his fourth year when his name was entered into the Tri-Wizard's Tournament, by the Death-Eater, Barty Crouch Jr., who was disguised as Mad-Eye; he hadn't been as mad as he was now. To say that Harry Potter was simply put-out, would be the understatement of the year.

Everyone who passed by him in the halls felt the rage radiating off of him, causing them to side-step into classrooms or to go the opposite way they were going; just to get out of his way. Even Peeves, the poltergeist, knew better than to bother Harry as he stalked his way to the Gryffindor Tower. When he neared the portrait of the Fat Lady to enter the common room, she saw the fury flickering in his eyes. So, without even asking Harry for the password, she swung herself open to allow him entrance.

Glowering at everyone seated on the random chairs that were scattered about the common room, Harry's eyes immediately fell on the red-haired woman who sat, reading, in the armchair closest to the fire. "I need to speak to you Ginny... NOW!" The rest of the Gryffindor students glanced towards Harry and saw sparks flying out of his wand, even though it was in his robe pocket. Taking that as a sign that he wanted to speak with the witch that his eyes were locked on, eveyone cleared out to give them privacy; a few first year's even stumbled over each other as they climbed out of the portrait to escape whatever wrath was about to be released.

"Okay... Harry, what's wrong? You have me a bit worried and I think you scared the shit out of everyone else." Ginny states calmy as she sees hatred flickering in Harry's normally happy, but paranoid, green eyes.

"You dare talk to me as if you don't know!" Tears flash angrily in his eyes as he feels the adrenaline start to seep out of his body. "I trusted you... how could you do that to me?" His voice was now a mere whisper.

"How could I do what to you, Harry? I could answer your question if you weren't being so blasted cryptic!" Ginny's anger flares as she feels slightly put out at being accused of something that she doesn't know she did.

"You told Minerva that you were worried about me..."

"Yeah, I did... because I am worried about you. You have been so focused on trying to find out if the new DADA professor is hiding a Death-Eater that you are falling behind in your studies and the only thing you talk to us about is what you think Artemis will do next." Frustration creeps into her voice as she spoke. "What type of best friend and girlfriend would I be if I didn't worry about you when I see that you are deteriorating because of your paranoia?"

"Maybe one that is so pissed off at the fact that I fancy her brother more than I do her... and the fact that she is also upset because her crush is dating Luna, she wants everyone to know my secret by telling the Headmistress!"

"What do you mean Hermione is dating Luna?" Ginny asks, completely ignoring the last part of Harry's confession.

"Oh, so you don't deny telling Minerva about my secret?" Harry seethes. "Oh..." He laughs suddenly, causing the red-headed witch to jump slightly. "You haven't seen the way they cast glances at each other or how they always are drawn to each other while in class? You are really blinded by your affections for her aren't you? Well... be warned Ginny, I am not going to keep your secret any longer since you couldn't keep mine! You played like you were on my side when she had sided with that _'Professor'_ but I could tell you were hurt that you did it and you would stare longingly at her from the distance... well I saw it all and... and I feel like you should leave, just like she did. But know this... I will never speak to you again as long as both of us live." Harry storms up the staircase to the boy's dormitories, almost crashing into the side of the wall when he stumbled over his own feet in attempts to leave from the young woman's sight.

Ginny sits frozen in the chair, trying to grasp the whole of the scene that unfolded. She replays the argument over and over in her head, trying to figure out why Harry had been so upset. Her mind had not focused on any of it really, not until he mentioned that Hermione was dating Luna and then her mind had totally stopped functioning.

She didn't realise that the portrait slowly swung open allowing Ron to stagger into the room. "Ginny!" He cries out hoarsely, causing her to jump for the second time in five minutes.

"I didn't say anything I promise." She mumbles as she was knocked out of her reverie, thinking it was Harry coming back to yell at her some more. Turning her head towards the direction her name was called from, she sees her brother pale and shaking like a leaf. "Oh shit... what's wrong Ron?" Ginny races over to help her brother up from the foetal position he had worked himself into on the floor by the entranceway.

"Sp...Sp...Spider!" The young wizard finally blurts out as his knees buckle again when Ginny got him to a standing position. Guiding Ron towards the overstuffed leather sofa in the corner of the room, she helps him to lay down on it.

Taking her wand out of her sleeve, Ginny silently waves it causing a large comforter to zoom out of her room and land softly over her still shaking brother. "What is this about a spider, Ron?"

He moans as if he is in pain at her words, delving deeper into the cocoon-like comfort of the blanket. Ginny stares at him wide-eyed for a few seconds, wondering how in Merlin's name she was going to get him to tell her what happened. Ultimately, she decided the only way to get him to calm down was a nice mug of butterbeer and a bit of a snack. Summoning a house-elf from the kitchen, Ginny told the elf what she required and with a bow the elf Dissapparated back to the kitchen to retrieve the food. He reappeared just as quickly as he had vanished carrying a large silver platter; filled with sweets, cakes, pudding, and an assortment of pies on top of his head and in his hands a large pitcher of butterbeer. Taking the tray off the elf's head, Ginny thanks the small creature for its speedy delivery causing the house-elf to blush profusely. "Just doing my job, Miss." The elf squeaked as he sat the pitcher down on the coffee table next to the sofa. Snapping his finger a mug appeared out of thin air which he sat by the carafe; and then with another quick bow he Dissapparates for the final time, back to the kitchen to undoubtedly continue to help prepare the next meal for the countless students and staff that reside within the castle walls.

Moments later, the smell wafting from the platter proved too much for Ron, causing him to burrow out from under the covers to grab a pie off the tray. Ginny waits patiently as Ron takes his fill on food and drink, relief evident in her face when his colour returns to his features. "So... are you going to tell me why you gave me the scare of my life?" She asks quietly, hoping the question wouldn't cause him to cower back under the comforter.

"I was walking back to the tower from the quidditch pitch, when I saw an owl fly next to me with a box in its talons. It drops the box into my hand and flies away. I didn't think mum would have sent us anything this soon … but then again I couldn't remember if I forgot anything or not. So I tore open the envelope that was attached to the box and saw it was from Seamus. He wrote that he had it on good accord, from Harry, that I would absolutely love this item he found. So I open it thinking that maybe it was some sort of souvenir from one or the Irish quidditch teams..." Ron's blanches as he tries to tell his sister what happened next. "But...but when I open it... there's... there's a baby acromantuala in it. I can't believe that git told Seamus that I would like such a thing! I nearly had a heart attack when it crawled out of the box! You need to stay away from him Ginny! He's going absolutely bonkers! He probably thinks everyone is out to get him."

"Believe me... it is over between us, Ron. He was in here earlier and was yelling at me because Headmistress McGonagall had confronted him about something or another and blamed me for telling her to talk to him. We should have listened to Hermione. I, myself, have never had a problem with Professor McGonagall, I always just sided with Harry because most of the time his suspicions were normally true." Ginny doesn't want Ron to know that the only reason she really didn't side with Hermione the first time is because she was upset when she thought the girl had a crush on the professor and was very jealous. Now, she doesn't care that the only person she ever really wanted to be with was with that blonde Ravenclaw... she just wants to get as far away from Harry and his psychosis as possible.

"Yeah... the same here, Ginny. As much as we have done for that specky git and all he does for thanks is try and hurt us. We could have all died trying to save his arse... hell, people did die for him and all he can really do is think someone else is out to get him." Ron stares at the mug between his hands, silently wishing it had something a bit stronger than butterbeer in it.

Ginny watches him, thinking of what they should do next, "Maybe... maybe we should apologise to Hermione and then talk to Minerva and her niece to see if maybe they can help us out?"

"I don't think it could harm us to try... I just hope Hermione doesn't tell us to sod off after the fact of how we had treated her." Ron says dejectedly as glances up at Ginny. "I feel bad for how I had thought about her after I found out that she was using me... I actually did some research about why she did what she did. I never knew muggles would treat each other that way just because of their feelings for someone of the same gender."

Ginny bobs her head in agreement, "You know we should probably go and talk to the Headmistress... she would be the only who really knows where we could find Hermione and tell her we're sorry. Besides you know Hermione would never just tell us to 'sod off,' she is not like that."

"I hope you are right sis." Ron stands up, preparing himself to leave to find someone he hopes would be understanding and sympathetic to their apologies.

Walking the corridors in absolute silence, Ron and Ginny walk towards the garoyle that guarded the entrance to Minerva's office. Ginny, always the most vocal one in her family, spoke first when they reached the stone statue. "We need to speak with the Headmistress."

The gargoyle looks at them sullenly and slightly perturbed that its sleep was disturbed. "Why do you need to speak to the Headmistress?"

"We need to talk to her about finding our friend Hermione Granger... Professor McGonagall was the one who switched her living quarters, so only she knows where our friend is located."

The statue grumbles to itself in its gravelly voice before it speaks again to it two uninvited guests. "She is not here... she went to go see her neice in her quarters. But I suggest that you do not meet her there for she is in conference at the moment and does not wish to be disturbed. Also, may I suggest that you simply go to the Great Hall to find your friend or wait until classes to find her and stop bothering me with your childish nonsense." the gargoyle closes its eyes, clearly making the last statement its final one.

Ginny sighs as she stares at the stony creature, "Well, I guess that was pointless. Come on Ron, let's go outside."

"Why outside, Ginny?"

"Well do you want to go back to the common room? I know I don't, he could be sulking around in any corner of the room just waiting for us to come back so he can lay into us again with some accusation or another."

"That is true, I should have thought of that."

"Are you feeling better now? After what happened earlier, I mean?" Ginny asks as she notices her brother isn't speaking as much as he normally would.

"I'm doing better... it's just that I don't understand why he would do something like that. I just can't wrap my head around it ,you know? I thought we were mates... but I guess that doesn't matter when he thinks everyone is out to get him. I know this must be hard on you Ginny... I knew how much you loved him." Ron stares sympathetically at his younger sister, hoping that he was playing the big brother card right. He was never any good at saying the right thing at the right time, but hoped that there would be a first for everything.

"I really didn't love him... not like everyone thought I did. I was only with him because there was someone else I had feelings for and that was the only way I could get closer to them."

"Who were you trying to get closer to?"

Ginny straigthens her shoulders and takes a deep breath, turning so she faced her brother, and decided she should just be direct with him. "Now... don't get mad when I tell you this, I was trying to get closer to Hermione... I have had a crush on her since I first met her. I always played it off that I had been smitten by Harry but it was a lie because I could tell how much you liked Hermione, so I never said anything. The reason I got so upset when I thought she had a crush on the professor was because I was jealous not because she had hurt your feelings... don't get me wrong I was upset about that but I was more upset at the fact that I may have lost out on a relationship that could have worked out if neither one of us were afraid to show our feelings. But now it is too late anyway, but I don't care... I would rather spend time with the woman I love but will never receive affections from than to continue to follow around some prat who feels as though everyone is out to get him, when in fact he is the one that pushes everyone away."

She looks into her brother's eyes for any sort of recognition that she even spoke, when he finally does it almost breaks her heart. "Why didn't you ever tell me that you had feelings for her, Ginny? I would have never even went after her if I had known that. The only reason I started dating her was because I thought that it was only the right thing to do after the whole 'I broke up with Lavender because I said her name while I was unconscious' thing. I thought we were the closest out of all the Weasley siblings...it kind of hurts that you didn't feel like you could trust me with this sort of information."

Struggling with her own emotions, Ginny decides she should let her own feelings stay in the wings and focus on her brother's. "I am sorry... I should have said something to you, but you know how mother is; she was so happy when I started dating Harry. She was actually planning baby names! I don't think it would have ever sat right with her, even though I know she does not have a problem with it, I just couldn't deal with the disappointment in her eyes if someone let out that I was in love with another witch. Even though we could still have kids, she would just be heart broken that it wasn't done the non-magical way."

Ron nods his head in understanding, "I can see why you wouldn't want mum to know about it... remember how she got when Bill she saw his hair dyed black and he had a ponytail?"

"I thought she was going to attack him with a spell to fix it back to normal, but dad intervened..."

"And she calmed down... I don't think mum would have a problem with it Ginny. I mean she would at first, but then she would come around. I think after the whole Voldemort situation, she has toned down a lot. She is more happy that at least most of us survived... she wouldn't let this get in the way for how she feels about you, as long as you are alive and happy I think she would approve."

"Yeah..." Ginny thinks back to how hard her mum took it when her brother, Fred, had died in the Battle of Hogwarts. "I don't think anything any of us do will ever make her as mad as she used to get." Shaking herself out of the emotional pit she had fell in, Ginny speaks again. "Now, we need to find a way to get in contact with Hermione... since I don't think she will allow herself to be seen by us two any time soon."

"It is according... why do you want to see me? Is it because you come to apologise or do you wish to ridicule me further for my thoughts on half-breed freedom?"


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: **Oh wow, I didn't realise that I haven't updated this in almost a month. I had somewhat of a small writer's block for this story and didn't feel like I could bring myself to even try an attempt at writing anything for this without it sounding forced. But I finally broke down the last cinder block that had kept this story from escaping my mind... until now._

* * *

The two red-haired siblings wheel around, meeting the witch they were searching for face-to-face. Both stared opened-mouth, shocked beyond reason that Hermione actually found them instead of the other way around. "Well... are you going to just stand there, mouth agape? Or are you going to tell me why you have spent your time looking for me?"

Ginny regains her composure, "We want to apologise, Hermione... we should have listened to you. You know how Harry gets when he thinks someone is out to get him. And most of the time when he thought that way... it was true. But we believe he has gone completely mental, he accused me of spreading lies about him; when I only was worried about his mental state and then he goes and tells Seamus to send Ron a baby acromantula, when he is deathly afraid of spiders." Ginny walks towards Hermione with her hands out before her, in an almost pleading way. "I should have known he was going off the deep end when he accused you of treachery, but I was afraid how he would treat Ron once I left to join your cause. Plus..." Ginny looks over at her brother, who is nodding his head urging her to continue. "Plus I was jealous... I didn't like to think that you had a crush on a teacher that we all just met. Is there any way you can forgive us?"

Hermione crosses her arms in front of her chest and stares intently at Ginny. She ignores Ginny's last question and meets her with her own. "Why were you jealous?"

Ginny stares at the brunette slightly embarrassed to reveal to Hermione her deep seeded emotions for her, "I... I was." Ginny looks to her brother in hopes for some help of any kind. He only shrugs his shoulders and stares at the ground. "I was jealous because I felt that I should have been the one to receive your affections, not this new professor." The red-head blurts out, tired of running from her feelings. "I know it sounds stupid but... that is the reason. I am sorry that I let that happen. I should have swallowed my pride and just stood up against him for you right from the start. I can understand if you don't want to forgive us right away. I know I wouldn't if I was in your shoes." Ginny stares at the ground, eyes fixated on nothing in particular but dreads to look into Hermione's eyes. Scared to see what would be revealed within them.

"So basically, you are telling me the only reason you two are coming to find me is to apologise for being the two biggest prats in the world?" Hermione stares at them as they both nod their heads, agreeing with the brunette's assessment of the situation. "I see..." She smiles at the Weasley siblings before she continues. "Well I can understand what you were going through. Harry can be a bit stubborn when it comes to the way he perceives things. I guess after seven years of people and creatures trying to kill you would make you go slightly mental on anybody, but it still is no excuse for what he has done to you two. Where will you go now that he thinks you are out to get him as well?"

Ron slumps his shoulders, "I don't know... I haven't thought about that really. We were so focused on finding you and to say we were sorry, that we didn't think of what we were going to do next."

"You should talk to Minerva... that's what I did and she set me up with private quarters of my own. She could do the same for you if you go and speak with her."

"We tried to speak with her earlier to find out where you were staying, but she was not in her office. The gargoyle told us that she was in a conference with her niece in her niece's quarters and did not wish to be disturbed." Ginny says, somewhat happier now that she felt Hermione understood what they had went through.

Hermione's eyes were alit with understanding, "That's right... I simply forgot! Artemis told me that she was going to talk to Minerva about the state of affairs with the werewolves in Wales."

Ginny stares at the brunette, confusion etching her face. "I know I read something about that in the Prophet, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't think it is my place to tell you the exact reason why, but I believe if you ask Artemis for yourself she might tell you why this is so important to her... and why she will need all the help she can get when the time comes. " At that moment a raven lands on Hermione shoulder and softly taps its beak against said body part. "Ah... that's the signal that the meeting is over. If we go back into the castle and head for Minerva's office we should be able to catch her there."

"Is that the same raven that we saw that one day in DADA class?" Ron asks as he stares at the bird on Hermione's shoulder.

"Yes it is Ron... she is Artemis's favourite companion." Hermione smirks to herself when she realises how the two red-heads had no idea that the raven was actually the half-breed's lover in animagus form. "It is a bit easier to send messages this way than to get an owl and then write the message and send it that way. And besides... Artemis isn't really an owl person... that is more Minerva's thing. But I digress... come on we need to get back to the castle. You two need to speak with Minerva and I need to go talk to Artemis... afterwards, I am sure that the Headmistress will show you to her niece's quarters where she can speak with you and answer all the questions you may have."

* * *

Hermione had been sitting and chatting with Luna, Artemis, and Bellatrix for a couple of hours before there was a knock on the door. Jumping at the foreign sound that invaded their comfortable environment, Artemis makes a silent signal to her lover to hide. Once Bellatrix was out of the room, the half-breed witch stands up and heads towards the door. Opening the door slowly revealed to her Minerva followed by the two red-headed siblings from the Gryffindor house. "Well, hello I didn't expect to see you two here!" Artemis states, even though Hermione had told them all that they were to be arriving soon. "Come in... there is no need to stand out in the hallway when we have plenty of seating available." She steps aside to allow the three guests entrance into her quarters.

"Hello Artemis. Yes, I didn't think I would be heading back to visit you until tomorrow but I had visitors of my own when I reached my office. They explained to me some problems they have been having as of late and I felt that it may have reason for their inability to perform well within your class. But that isn't the reason why they are here... but, I will let them tell you what they need to."

Artemis settles herself beside Hermione as she waits for the witch or the wizard to speak. Ginny speaks first as always as the unspoken de facto leader of the two. As the red-haired younger witch gets to the part in her story where Harry had pushed them away from himself also, everyone acted the part of concerned students and faculty. No one would have ever expected they were the ones who actually did it all. Once Ginny was finished with her story, she looked at everyone in the group. "I know we have been a bit harsh to you all this week and I know that I have no right to ask for your forgiveness, but we are terribly sorry for how we acted. There is no explanation I can give you for how we acted except that we were mainly following Harry. For Merlin's sake that sounded so pitiful when I say it aloud. I probably think we should be going now..."

"No, you don't have to go now. I understand what it is like to be pressured to follow someone else who thinks they are always right." Artemis says as she walks toward Ginny and Ron. "Hell, I follow my life based on what other people think, especially now, because I don't want to thrown in Azkaban because of what I am."

Ron finally spoke, startling everyone around him. For everyone had actually forgotten he had been there all along. "What do you mean you don't want to be thrown in Azkaban for what you are? You are just a professor why would the Ministry do that to you?"

"I guess I should come clean... after all, I know you will probably find out sooner or later." Rubbing her hands over her face in a downward movement, Artemis pauses momentarily then repeats the movement except in reverse. Once she reached her hairline, however, she continued by raking her hands through her hair allowing the tresses that had once covered her ears to move out of the way. Revealing her elfish ears to the two siblings.

"Blimey! You are a half-breed!" Ron says as he stares at his professor as if she had grown a second head. Ginny slaps him in the back of his head causing him to quickly recover from his inactive state. "What in bloody hell did you do that for?"

The red-head ignores her brother's yelp of embarrassment, "So Professor McGonagall, I can understand why you have hidden that part of you away from everyone else save for the people in this room. But wha ti don't understand is why not tell everyone outright in this castle? I mean there are several other half-breeds within its confines and I am sure that everyone would protect you if you had been honest with them from the start."

"It's because not everyone is as understanding as you make them out to be, Ginny. Once some families find out about me, they will be calling the Ministry in a matter of seconds. And then that would put all your lives in danger and I can not have anyone risk their lives for me... not again anyway."

"It's not like we haven't risked our lives before, Artemis." Hermione states matter-of-factly. "It is only now that we truly can decide for ourselves what we want in our life, without anyone judging us too harshly if we decide that what we want isn't what that certain person wants."

Artemis nods her head, happy to hear that her god-daughter would stick by her even if the other people in the room might not, especially when the two red-haired siblings find out who her lover is. That would be another reveal for another time, for right now the half-breed witch knew she had a lot of ground to cover with the two Weasleys before they could even remotely understand why she would eventually need there help.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note: Wow, it has been quite some time since I have updated this story. I do apologise for that, I have been a bit preoccupied with my other stories. Don't worry I had not forgotten this story, I just needed the proper inspiration to finish this chapter... and I found it! Also, I would just like to say a thank you to everyone who has read, alerted, favourited, and reviewed this story. Without you, the reader, this would be considered nothing more than ramblings. You lot are what make a writer's day!**_

* * *

A few days pass without a hitch, Harry was completely ignoring the other three that used to be his best mates in the world. He couldn't quite pinpoint it but he had a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that all of this had to do with his newest professor. Sure he had a few hang ups about people in the past, a gut feeling, if you will, about certain people and their credibility. In the end though, he was only half right.

Severus had never fully been out to get him, it was just his love for Lily that caused him to hate the fact that Harry looked a lot like James- the man who took the light away from Snape's life. And Draco... Draco was another matter for the Boy-Who-Lived. He knew that the only reason blonde wizard had acted the way he did was because of his father. Lucius Malfoy was a total prat who hated anything to do with the half-blood wizard that Harry was; also the fact that Potter was Voldemort's archenemy didn't help the matter either. So Draco, being the type of teenager who would never go against his father's wishes hated Harry as well. But in the end, when the Dark-Lord was destroyed and all the Death-Eaters who had survived got carted off to Azkaban, Draco had became less of a prat that Lucius was, but still enough of one that Harry didn't want anything to do with him.

The only person he had been completely and without a question been right about, that was out to get him, was Tom Riddle. Every year since he had started at Hogwarts, Voldemort was trying to kill Harry. So, putting two and two together, the Boy-Who-Lived decided that he was more than likely correct about Professor Artemis McGonagall. He had stopped going to his detentions for fear that she would curse him into oblivion. Which shockingly, the witch didn't protest his negligence to their agreement. She had been so caught up consorting with his ex-friends, that it made his teeth itch with fury. _'Why doesn't she even acknowledge that I am here!' _He screams silently in his head, wishing that she would end this charade of ignorance and out herself for the villain that she is. _'I bet they have told her every single secret that they know about me, and she is trying to find a way to ruin me as I sit here with my thumb up my arse, doing nothing about it.' _He sighs miserably as he stares off in the distance towards Hagrid's hut. They were supposed to be learning how to detect the presence of magic by feeling the differences of the displacement of the air caused after a spell was cast. Absolute rubbish, Harry thought as his mind wandered to a conversation he had with Hagrid, just the day before, about the DADA professor.

"_Hagrid, what do you know about Minerva's niece?" Harry asks as he sits down in the overly large, overly hard wooden chair in the half-giant's shack._

"_Ah... she be nice enough Harry. Ye just got to get use to her is all." The large man stares at his equally mammoth dog lying on a shabby rug in the corner. "She's a bit like Fang, she is. Very intimidating to watch, but her bark is worse than her bite. I assure you, unless you are trying to harm the ones she cares about, then she is worse than a Blast-Ended Skrewt. What's going on Harry?" Hagrid looks back to the young wizard, his eyes narrowing as everything falls into place. "You're thinking along the same lines ye did about Snape but it's her ye think is after ye, right?" Harry glances at the window to avoid the inquisitive gaze of his friend. "Harry, I don' know how many times I have to tell ye not to go lookin' for trouble. Jus' because someone thinks differently than you do, don't mean they are up to somethin'. Now go on back to class. I'm sure your free period is up. And if I were you I would talk to Minerva about what you feel. She might can tell ye a thing or two about her niece and why she acts the way she does."_

_Harry stands up when he realises that he would no longer get anymore information out of Hagrid. Walking out the door, he stares along the green expansive grounds of Hogwarts until he casts his eyes upon the castle itself. Even after the final battle, the castle looked as intimidating as it had the first day he had looked upon its walls. A large stone edifice perched upon an outcropping cliff, the only real evidence that anything had actually happened to the school was that a few of the stones looked newer than the rest. Sighing to himself, Harry makes his way across the grounds towards the main door to the castle._

"Mr. Potter care to answer the question I asked you, or do you wish to watch the grass grow about you and not learn a thing?" Artemis asks, annoyance clearly written across her face. "Now that I have your attention... what are the most common things to look for when you Apparate to a location that has seen recent magical activities?" The lithe witch folds her arms across her chest and watches in amusement as the boy's face darkens in embarrassment.

"You look for any damage done to things such as trees or buildings in the area." He answered unsure that he had even made any sense let alone answered her correctly.

Shaking her head slowly, Artemis turns to Hermione and smiles slightly. "Care to give the proper answer Miss Granger?"

"There isn't any physical signs that anything magical happened... well, no signs if it is an exceptional witch or wizard you are tracking anyway. What you will notice, however, is that it has left an impression in the air and the surroundings that if you are attuned to magic like we all are you will detect it automatically. So, the main thing you really have to do is make sure you keep a level head and your wits about you."

"That's right, ten points to Ravenclaw for an exceptionally accurate answer!"

_'When did Hermione become a Ravenclaw?' _Harry thinks to himself as he felt the embarrassment give rise on his cheeks for being outshone yet again. _'Maybe she was placed into Ravenclaw because of Luna.' _Harry stares at Hermione and Luna as they stand close together near the group of students that were considered the professor star pupils. Mentally shaking his head, Potter thinks about what Hagrid had said about the Headmaster. _'I need to get to the bottom of all of this soon. Maybe Hagrid was right about Minerva being able to help me figure this all out. She always knew what to __say or do when everything seemed like it was going downhill.'_

The class was dismissed shortly after, giving Harry an excuse to walk away from the whispers of how well the class went and of course the not-so-quiet murmurs of how pathetic he was being within this class- a course that he normally excelled in. Mentally cursing himself as well as any of the students that dared to even look his way, The-Boy-Who-Lived trudged towards the castle in search of his head of house.

* * *

"Well Minerva, what did you tell the Potter boy?" Artemis asks as she stretches out her lithe form on the sofa in front of the fireplace. Bellatrix had went to visit Narcissa earlier during the day and was due back with in the next couple of hours, giving ample time for Minerva to have a private discussion with her aunt.

Rolling her eyes at her aunt, the Headmaster speaks, "Artemis, I do wish you would give the boy a chance. Sure he is a bit paranoid, but he has every right to be and with you acting the way you do it makes his paranoia justified in his eyes."

"What in bloody hell have I done to the boy, Minerva?" Artemis jumps up from the sofa and paces the floor. "As soon as he saw me conversing with Draco, he treated me as if I were the blighted plague? And the fact that Bella would never be able to safe because of him only makes my dislike of him greater. You know how hard Narcissa, Andromeda, and I are trying to get her pardon so she doesn't have to loom around in the shadows anymore. I can even bring up the fact of how he treats my god-daughter as well... I mean she is the brightest witch of her age, and yet he gave her no credit whatsoever in their journeys to rid the world of the Dark-Lord! He thought her fight for house-elves' rights was a bit mad. I have only ever seen him converse with only one half-breed and that is Hagrid! Did you know he had a talk with Hagrid the other day about me?"

Minerva leans back in her chair steeling herself for the conversation she was about to have with Artemis. "Yes I did. He told me it was Hagrid that told him to come to me if he wanted to know more about you. He said that the groundskeeper told him you were a bit like Fang." The Headmaster smirks at the sudden confused look that swept across the half-elf's face. "And I actually agree with Hagrid's statement... you are very intimidating my dear aunt, but your bark is worse than your bite; unless, someone harms the people you care about most and then all hell breaks loose. Is that the right saying? I never can quite remember those muggle sayings that you have often told me about hearing when you would go on your travels before you met Bellatrix. Anyway, you want to know what I told Mr. Potter..." Minerva waits for Artemis to sit back down before she continues. "I told him that he was being foolish for thinking that you were out to get him, that you always teach through what you like to call 'tough love.' He told me he has heard of that method before but it didn't feel like you were acting that way towards anyone else but him. I asked him if he was actually paying attention while he was in your class and he told me that his mind did tend to wander while he was in your class; so naturally, I told him that was the reason you treated him the way you do. I told him how you could not stand for someone not to pay attention to things that could one day save their very hides."

Artemis nods her head in agreement when she hears her niece pause, "That is very true... I mean sure I was very upset when I found out that he had tried to harm my Bella while she was under the Imperius Curse, but I have never done anything to outwardly lash out at him. Except when he is not paying me a bit of mind while I am teaching. He doesn't seem like a bad kid, Minerva, but the way he always paranoid makes me feel as if he is going to do something that will cause me and my family to be put in harms way." The half-breed witch runs her hand through her hair, causing one of her pointed elfish ears to escape from underneath her reddish-blonde mane. "I don't care if I am hurt in anyway... for Merlin's sake, you know what that Weasley girl did to me! But, I don't know what I would do if I lost Bella again... or the baby. Or hell even you Minerva or any of the kids that I have become close to here! I know I am playing a very dangerous game when it comes to getting Bellatrix's name pardon by the Ministry, even if I am the invisible benefactor in the whole thing. But you know the day is coming when what I am is going to come to surface to the people that are not that acceptable to my kind and I feel Potter is going to be the person who brings me to their attention."

Minerva nods her head solemnly as she stands up and moves over to the sofa Artemis sat on. "Just know... when that day comes Artemis, we will stand by you no matter what. And I personally will not see anything happen to the little family you have created. Right now, there is nothing to worry about because they are tackling that problem with the werewolves in Wales and I heard that there was a rebellion from the vampires in Romania that they will try to quell after they deal with the Lycans." The Headmaster rubs her aunt's shoulder comfortingly, "You see, in the end... come what may, there are others just like you who are still fighting Umbridge and her irrational thinking. And when there are people like you... there are their supporters, like all of us, who will defend them."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Author's Note: Wow... it's been quite some time since I have updated this one! I know, I know. I have just had loads of ideas flitting about in my head. There are probably a few of you who also read my other stories and wonder why this story is longer than the others and why the plot has lingered like it has. Well the reason why is, that I wanted this to almost feel like a continuation of J.K.'s work, God no... I am not even implicating that I am placing myself on the same par as our favourite characters' creator. But I am sure there are quite a few out there, like myself, who hated that it ended with an epilogue of that calibre. And wished for at least one more adventure from them! Also, call me a bit mad but I absolutely detested the way that everyone's favourite Death-Eater was killed off. So I had to bring her back (you lot that have read my other stories, know I bring her back quite a lot!) Allright, I believe this note has gone on for quite some time. So... here is chapter 15! (Tell me what you think!)**_

_**Disclaimer: DO NOT... REPEAT.. DO NOT OWN any of these characters save for Artemis... she is the only original character out of the whole lot!  
**_

* * *

Minerva pauses for a second, replaying everything her aunt had told her. Remembering something seemed quite amiss with the smaller witch's words, she spoke. "You, Narcissa, and Andromeda are doing what?"

Before Artemis could even reply a cloud of dust erupts from the fireplace. "I take it that you let it slip, my love?" Bellatrix says as she walks out of the from the cloud, dusting herself off before sitting down beside her lover. "Yes... Artemis and my sisters are trying to get everything that I had done while under the _Imperius Curse_ stricken from the records. It has been a bit of an uphill battle, but I believe that they are making some head way. At least the Ministry has calmed down since the fact that Andy and Cissy have told them about me still being alive. And I know the well written letters from Artemis have not been falling on deaf ears. I believe it will just take them a matter of a few more weeks before they come round and pardon me. Then, I will be able to walk around as a free woman instead of lurking in the shadows." Bellatrix curls up into her lithe lover's frame and hugs her tightly.

Minerva stands up, knowing that she should not intrude on their time together anymore than the few moments that she has, "Well... I am glad that everything is turning out well for both of you." She smiles genuinely before continuing, "But, I must advise you, dear aunt. You must make amends with Potter and there are a few others within our group that need to know about Miss Black before she is free to walk about publicly. Because you know the _Prophet_ will more than likely do a front page spread about her return and you will need all the support you can get to keep her safe. Also... sending letters... is all you have been doing, right? Because you know if Dolores catches you, there will be no need to try and get Bellatrix's name pardoned because she will break into Azkaban and free you. And both of you would have to be in hiding!"

Artemis stares at her niece and smiles, "Relax, Minerva. Like Bella said, all I have been doing is sending anonymous letters to the Wizengamot... Cissy and Andy have been doing the foot work. And you are right about Potter... I will try and speak to him in private, on the condition that he pays attention to what I say and that he doesn't think that it is a ploy to attack him while he is vulnerable."

"Well if that is the case, Artemis, I suggest you have me there along with you when you speak to the boy." Minerva says as she walks towards the door. "I think it will help if I am there to be a mediator, just in case things turn sour." The door closes quietly behind the Headmaster as she leaves the two witches to themselves, she smiles as she thinks on how this is one of the first times in years that she has seen her aunt so happy and herself.

"I hate to say it... but, she is right Artemis." Bellatrix says as the door closes behind Minerva.

"I know, she is. You would think as old as I am, that I would have been the one who had more of the right answers than my dear niece." Artemis nuzzles her face into the raven-haired witch's neck. "I really don't dislike the boy... it's just that he is so paranoid and so sure of himself, that I can't stand to deal with him. He is more like his father in that regard. But I know if we are to stop hiding in the shadows, I will need to make peace with him. Gods, that sounds as if I have been fighting him the whole way! When did things get so bloody complicated? It used to be when you had a bit of trouble with another witch or wizard, you would duel them and the winner would get the respect that he or she deserved. Now, you have to kiss their arse to get some sort of respect from them! How do you suppose I even talk to the lad? I mean, it's like I am basically out in the middle of the bloody Black Lake on a thin sheet of ice with the boy already. So you know it will all go to hell once we let him know that you never died and that you are in fact the mother of my child."

"I know, my love. And the fact that he thinks you are out to get him is not helping. I think maybe we should talk to Hermione, Draco, Luna, and possibly my sisters to see what they believe you should do. It will be a little get together. I know we can't bring the two Weasels... I mean the two Weasley siblings to the meeting, because we still need to figure out how to let them know that I am here as well without them trying to hex me and the baby."

"I would kill them before they even tried to harm either one of you!" Artemis interrupts Bellatrix, her grey eyes flickering with rage at the thought of anything happening to her beloved. "They would be motherless if Molly had so much as harmed you before I had reached you. I would have gone after the whole bloody clan if I had lost you to that cow!"

Bellatrix wraps a soothing arm around the shorter witch's shoulders. "I know, love... that is why we need to discuss all of this with them. Minerva can only help us but so much. She is their professor as well as their Headmaster. Even though she has helped us create the schism between the Weasley children and Potter, we need to make her seem as though she is not a part of any of this... besides when you have the sit down with the Potter boy, you need her to seem as if she is... merely an unbiased party."

"You are right, Bella... as always. When should we contact the others to let them know that we need to talk about all of this?"

"How about now? We send a couple of house-elves to get in touch with my sisters and the three students and have them meet us here in two hours time. We can all have dinner and then discuss what needs to be done about the whole situation. But, this time we will try and find a way to bring everyone together instead of tearing them apart."

A couple of hours later...

Hermione, Luna, and Draco meet each other in front of the DADA's personal quarters. "I see you two received the message as well." Draco says as he lifts his hand to knock on the door. "I do hope that my dear aunts have not decided to bring those two Weasleys to this gathering. I can't quite stomach the fact that the Weasel girl has a crush on me." The blonde wizard says with a shudder.

Luna starts to giggle causing Draco to raise an eyebrow in question. Before he could say anything, Hermione speaks. "About that... I believe I was mistaken when I had said that. Come to find out she had a bit of a crush on me instead."

The young man's eyes widen in shock. "Unbelievable. I mean it is believable but... you didn't notice it? And how in bloody hell did you find out?"

"When Ron and Ginny went looking for her to apologise for being gits." A voice says from in front of the three students. "Come on in you lot, there are a couple of others that have been waiting for you to arrive." Artemis allows the door widen to allow the young witches and wizard through.

"Who else is here, aunt?" Draco asks as he walks over the threshold and into the sitting room.

"Well your mother for one..." Narcissa says as she walks into the room from the kitchen and gives her son a quick hug. "As well as your Aunt Andromeda and of course your Aunt Bellatrix. Artemis has said that she had a few things to discuss with all of us, but she has yet to say what exactly it is we all needed to talk about." The fair-haired Black sister says as she looks in the direction of the half-breed witch.

"Now Cissy..." Bellatrix states as she comes into the room. "Just because you are curious doesn't mean that you can act like that. I had told Artemis not to speak of business before we eat and she complied." The eldest of the Black sisters turns to everyone else in the room. "With that being said, dinner is about to be served. So I suggest you all make your way to the table so we can begin. Then I promise all your questions as to why we called you all here will be answered."

An hour later, everyone made their way back to the sitting room to await the start of the meeting. "Now, I know you are all wondering why we called you here." Artemis says as she looks around the room. "As some of you know... Andy, Cissy, and I are trying to clear Bella's name. It wasn't an easy task at first, but we believe we are making some head way in that department. Kingsley has decided to meet with us here at Hogwarts to determine the truth to what we have said."

"That's wonderful news, Artemis!" Hermione says excitedly. "But, you haven't protested it in person have you? I mean there are probably a lot of them that would remember you from your days teaching here and would be quite shocked to see you haven't aged a day. Plus the fact, that needs to be considered. How many of them are in Umbridge's pocket?"

"We don't have to worry about Umbridge coming to this meeting, Hermione." Narcissa interjected. "Nor do we have to worry about Kingsley letting her in on Artemis being here." The youngest Black sister looks to her eldest sister as well as the DADA professor for approval before she continued. Artemis smiles and nods her head, grateful to give the floor to the blonde witch. "You see... Shacklebolt has always had two favourite professors while he was here at Hogwarts. Minerva and Artemis, they kept him out of more trouble than anyone else I know. He supports everything that your god-mother does; so if he has received word from her that my sister was under the _Imperius _Curse, then he will not challenge it. And he is also one that is secretly trying to keep Umbridge from launching her plan to place all half-breeds under constant supervision."

"And that is where our problem comes in..." Artemis says from her spot on the couch beside Bellatrix. "We need to find a way to make sure Potter or the two Weasley's don't go absolutely mental when they find out that The-Boy-Who-Lived was correct in hearing Bella's voice. As stubborn as I've noticed he is, he will not just let his emotions go once the Ministry pardons her." The half-breed's eyes flash dangerously as thoughts swarm her head. "And I refuse to allow him to hurt my family with his stupidity!" Her raven-haired lover wraps her arms around Artemis's lithe form, trying desperately to calm the small witch down.

"Now you will never make friends with him if you act this way, my love." Bellatrix says as she kisses the shorter witch's temple. Turning to the others in the room, she sighs. "This is the reason we asked you all to come here. We need a plan... a good plan, to keep Potter as well as Ron and Ginny from going absolutely mental when they find out that I am here. I don't think we will have too much problem with the Weasley siblings..." She looks at the faces of the people who were there for the final battle. "Well maybe some problems but I don't think that it would cause as much fallout as Potter knowing." Looking at her lover, who was currently rubbing her baby bump, she tears her eyes away to look back up at the others in the room. "We need your help."


	16. Chapter 16

_**Author's Note: Sorry to have been a bit distant lately! What with work, minor bouts of writer's block, life in general, and the recent thought of several other stories crowding my mind... I haven't had hardly any time to write my current stories! But, I am back and hopefully this chapter makes up for my long delay! Reviews and comments are always welcomed... so without further ado (since I have been gone for quite some time) ON TO THE CHAPTER!**_

* * *

Sitting on an outcropping on the edge of the Black Lake, Artemis stares out into the deep, murky waters as heavy rain falls down from the grey skies above. The rain beats down upon the half-breed witch hiding the tears that flow freely down her face. Everything, so far, has been exceeding expectations, but the doubts she has for meeting with Harry have resurfaced. She knows he is not a major player in what could befall her and Bellatrix during this time of Umbridge's leadership. But she knows, even the smallest of actors in a play, make the story.

_'If only the lad was as understanding as his friends... or hell, if he was as bloody understanding as Shacklebolt!'_ Artemis thinks to herself as she goes over the past week in her head.

After the impromptu meeting with Hermione, Luna, Draco, and the Black sisters, Bellatrix and Artemis received an owl from Kingsley Shacklebolt. The missive that the bird had carried asked that both women meet him within Minerva's office post haste. Bella had quickly transformed into her animagus and flew onto Artemis's shoulder. Walking through the corridors, the smaller witch felt apprehension crept into her veins. Thoughts flying around her mind blindly with each step she took. _'What if it is a trap? What if he came here not to meet Bella, but to take her and our baby away?' _The thoughts grew darker the more she let them run free. Sensing that her lover was nervous, the raven nuzzled its beak into the side of the half-wood-elf's neck. Sighing at the caring gesture, the reddish-blonde haired witch steels herself from the depression that had momentarily captured her. Placing her hand on the door, she takes a deep breath and opens it.

The room looked as though no one was inside, but as Artemis moved further in she heard someone clear their throat. "Professor. So nice to see you again." Came the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt from behind Minerva's desk. Standing beside the desk was the Headmistress herself, with a slight smile on her face as she watched the two enter the room. "And Miss Black, you don't have to worry about me... there is no one else in this room besides the four of us... so please, transform out of your animagus."

The raven flies off Artemis's shoulder and transforms into the DADA professor's lover. Kingsley smiles at the two witches and gestures for them to take a seat. "Now... I will not keep you for long. Miss Black, it took me a bit of time as well as a lot of persuasion from your sisters and Miss McGonagall here to make what I am about to tell you a reality, but we have cleared your name. You are now a free witch... but, I wouldn't make that freedom known quite yet here in Hogwarts. There are too many here that see you as a threat and would be more than happy to punish you for the crimes you had committed while under the Imperius Curse. But give it time... once the announcement has been made in _The Daily Prophet, _then you should be able to start making appearances."

"I-I don't know what to say, Kingsley..." Bellatrix starts as she stares at the wizard. "This is like a dream come true to me. Thank you."

He smiles as he stands up from the chair behind the desk, "Don't thank me, Miss Black. Or... should I presume that it will be Mrs. McGonagall, soon?" Shacklebolt asks with a small gesture towards the raven-haired witch's stomach. A knowing smile graces his lips. "The people you should thank are your sisters, as well as Artemis here." He looks around at the three women and clears his throat. "Well, I should be going now... the Ministry is certainly not safe while Umbridge is still at the reigns." Shacklebolt walks towards the door, but pauses with his hand on the handle. "And Artemis..." He turns to look at the small witch who has always been his favourite mentor. "Please do not do anything rash. I know this is hard for you, what with everything Dolores is bringing about, or shall I say, _trying _to bring about. She is going to dig herself into a hole that she will not be able to get out of, you are just going to have to give it time. I promise, things will get better soon."

Artemis is shaken out of her memories of the highlights of the week by the sound of a twig snapping off to her left. Mentally cursing herself for her lack of awareness, the half-breed woman quickly rises and faces the person who has intruded on her solitude.

"Calm down, my dear aunt... I had a feeling you would be here." Minerva says with a smile as she sees the look on Artemis's face when she called her 'aunt.' "You do know that the meeting between you and Mr. Potter is to happen shortly. Why are you out here in this storm?"

The smaller witch stares at her niece. Minerva had cast a drying spell about herself to keep the rains from soaking through her robes. "I have been thinking."

"Well that was obvious." The Headmistress says with a smirk. "And judging by the state you are in now, I would say that you have been thinking a lot out here. You would always come out here when you had something troubling you. Especially when that 'something' was a certain raven-haired woman that has the same name as this lake." Minerva sighs when she notices Artemis had started to stare off into the the distance across the lake when she mentioned Bellatrix. "You have never been able to keep secrets from me, Artemis. Don't try to start now. Even when I was a little girl, you would always tell me what you were thinking... please, don't start trying to keep things from me now."

"You are right as always, dear niece... I am sorry." Artemis looks back at her niece and Minerva is able to see the weight of the world that her aunt feels through the witch's eyes. "All of this..." The reddish-blonde haired woman gestures wildly in the air. "Just everything is not the way it is supposed to be! I mean sure, I knew it would be hard... given that there are many people who will not believe _The Prophet _about Bella's innocence, but I didn't expect that cow Umbridge to be the bloody Minister, and that the only way I could get the vast majority of the whole lot of bloody witches and wizards in England on my side, is by catering to a boy that has barely even lived a quarter of his bloody life! And to top it off, the little blighter would try and kill Bella and our baby the first moment he sees her!" Artemis slumps down on to outcropping she had been sitting on before Minerva arrived.

"So, you are telling me you are giving up?" Minerva asks as she stands beside the edge of the lake staring down at her aunt, who was currently cradling her head between her hands.

"No, I..."

"That is what it sound like to me. It sounds like my great and powerful aunt has decided to give up because things are a bit overwhelming." The Headmistress stares back out over the lake as she thinks about all of the times her aunt had given her advice, but now it is her time to talk a bit of sense in to her melancholy aunt. "Remember when I was eleven and I was constantly checking outside to see if the owl would come with my letter for Hogwarts?"

Artemis laughs slightly, "Yes, I do... You had everyone about ready to go mental with the amount of time you would look out the window! Your mother was ready to set you in your room and ward the bloody door!"

"And do you remember what you told me?"

The DADA professor glances up and sees Minerva staring out across the lake. "I told you that you must be patient, that I knew for certain that you would receive your owl in no time. And that if you would stop anticipating the letter and go about your normal life, it would be there in no time." Artemis smiles as she remembers the bright look that had crossed Minerva's face when she had told the eleven year-old girl that she was certain that she would receive her owl. She recalls the young Minerva running up the stairs towards her room to start reading up on the minor spells that Artemis had taught her over the summer.

"Goddess... I hate when you are right, Minerva." Artemis stands up and casts a wandless drying spell on herself. "So, you came to escort me to this bloody meeting and to give me a kick in the arse for letting my bloody trepidations get in the way of logical thinking. Thank you..." She smiles at the Headmistress and starts to walk towards the castle. Turning slightly when she doesn't hear the footsteps of her niece, "Well, what are you waiting for?! Let's get this bloody meeting over with."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Author's Note: Sorry to all for the long wait for this chapter. Quite a few things have happened that have caused the delay on updating any of my stories actually, but hopefully things are well under control and I will be able to update all of my stories on a regular basis. Enough of all of that, on to chapter 17!**_

* * *

Tapping his foot impatiently on the marble floors of the Headmaster's office, Harry looks about the room for the hundredth time. The wizard stares about the room, wondering when the Headmistress would arrive. She had spoke with him earlier in the day, and told him that she wished for him to speak with her niece, while Minerva, herself, sat in on the meeting.

* * *

"_But Professor McGonagall," Harry starts to protest, when the headmistress came to him with her proposition, "Your niece does not like me. She is constantly belittling me in front of everyone, and never properly teaches me anything!"_

"_Mr. Potter, I assure you that I have already discussed with you the methods Artemis uses when teaching, if I have to speak to you again about her reasoning, I will not... I repeat, will not, be as understanding with you as I normally am. With this being said, I do not think you would wish to resume your detentions with her, as well as cost your house more points. We are already way behind everyone else in the race to the House Cup, and if you continue to discuss matters in which you do not know the full story, I will have take away more House points from Gryffindor for your blatant ignorance!" Minerva takes a deep breath before adjusting her glasses, which have become slightly askew from her recent outburst, "Now, Mr. Potter, my niece has informed me that she has decided not to penalise you for your lack of attendance at your scheduled detention times, because she simply feels as though things do need to be addressed between the both of you, and I full heartedly agree. That is why I called you here today," the older witch pauses and adjusts the pile of parchments on her desk, allowing the dark-haired wizard to speak._

_Harry sits there, staring at a random space on the wall behind the professor. Thoughts consuming his mind as he processes the past few weeks. When the older witch sees that he has nothing to say, she continues, "Well, if you do not wish to ask me anything, you may leave. But, before you go, I wish to remind you that the meeting will be in two hours. So I suggest that you make sure, if you have any questions, to think them out beforehand and have them ready, so you may ask everything that you feel needs to be asked."_

* * *

The sudden opening of the door knocks Harry out of his musings. He turns around to see Headmistress McGonagall walk in through the doorway, followed by her niece.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, I see that you are on time," Minerva says as she sees him sitting there, a smile crosses her face as she walks pass him to sit behind her desk.

He glances back again as he hears the door to the room close softly and the soft thud of Artemis's leather boots echo softly across the floor. He notices that she is wearing a dark green corset, as opposed to her normal all black attire. Even though it is a change, he does not feel comfortable. The green reminds him too much of Slytherin. The house that mocked and ridiculed him his entire time at Hogwarts, plus was the House of every Death-Eater who ever tried to harm him.

"Does my attire offend you, Mr. Potter?" Artemis asks as she stands in front of him, leaning on Minerva's desk, her arms crossed defensively in front of her.

"It's Slytherin colours professor," Harry states sullenly.

"Is that a problem, Mr. Potter? It is just a colour. The colour green can do nothing to you," she smiles as she walks across the floor in front of the wizard. "I think it is something else. What I should ask you is... how do I offend you? Have I done anything to you, Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, yes you have, professor."

"What have I done?" Artemis asks, her arms still crossed defensively over her chest as she waits for an answer.

"Now, Artemis..."

"No, Minerva. I want him to answer this. I need to know what it is that he believes that I have done to him," the half-breed witch says as she walks back to the front corner of the Headmistress's desk and leans against it.

"You treat me as if I am less than the other students!" Harry shouts, his face turning bright red from the embarrassment that he feels as soon as the words leave his mouth.

"So the truth is out now?" Artemis lets her crossed arms drop to her sides and sighs, "Why do you think such a thing, Mr. Potter?"

"You seem to coddle Draco, Luna, Hermione, and the rest of them while you constantly snub me," the young wizard says quietly, "I feel you do it because of your feelings towards my father."

"No..." Artemis says quietly. She waits a few moments until Harry is staring at her before she continues, "No, I don't treat you the way I treat you because of your father. I will admit, while I was here, your father did do a few things that had bothered me and I will admit that I had to treat his pranks differently than I had to treat the other students pranks. His pranks almost killed a student at this school, but that isn't why I treat you differently."

The young wizard almost opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off by the half-breed witch, "I treat you differently, because I see so much potential in you. A potential that you do not yet see in yourself. Couple that with your lack of attention in class and you will see why I act the way I do around you, Mr. Potter. The strength inside you is the same strength that your mother had and it pains me to see that you are constantly trying to see the wrong in the world and not the beauty of it all." Artemis gets up from her perch on the corner of Minerva's desk and walks over to Harry and sits in the chair beside him, much to the wizard's surprise. "I have seen a lot in my lifetime, more than you can imagine, but I still try to see the potential good in everything. You may think I hate you, but I don't. You may think I am tougher on you than the rest of the students and, well, I am.

"I know at a young age you were destined for many things. Yes, I heard of the prophecies, but that part of your life is over. You have a new start and must not treat this new start in life like you treated the old half. Think of it all as a new bit of parchment. Fresh, clean, new. Not even a single smudge from where the nib of the quill has sat too long. It is a new chapter in life and it is what you make of it," she offers a quiet smile to Harry as he looks at her with a new-found respect, "Do you want this new chapter to be different than that of the prophecies of old?"

"Yes, I do," he says quietly. The dark-haired wizard stares at the floor when he answers, still a little wary of the situation that has occurred.

"Then it is up to you to change it. For good or ill, it is you who is now in charge of your life. I am only here to help you along your way, that is, if you will allow me. As I have said before, I have seen a lot in my times, and I know more than most would ever believe to know, you just have to trust me when I tell you that and you must listen if you agree to have my help."

"Artemis is right Harry, she can help you, if you let her. She knows your potential because she knew your parents and she only wants what is best for you to help you become the best wizard you can be," Minerva says from behind her desk. She had remained quiet the whole time because she wanted to see how her aunt would speak to the boy and she was worried as to how he would handle everything. Now that everything seems as if it is going to be allright between the two, she decided to speak.

"I-i need some time to think," Harry says, "There has been so much in my life, more-so than many would ever think of a person my age and I do not want that to ruin the rest of my life. I don't see how your teaching methods could help with my future though. I think it would have helped if you were here before the whole thing with Voldemort, so I do not understand how what you are doing will benefit me now."

"What?!" Artemis stares at the boy incredulously, "Now more than ever, Mr. Potter, do you need someone to help you! A past as tumultuous as yours needs all the help it can get! And do not think, not even for a moment, that you are the only person who has suffered in their lifetime! Or do you not remember all the people who helped you along your path?" The red-haired witch, which had stood up from her chair, starts pacing the floor, her fists clenching and unclenching with white-hot sparks flashing dangerously from them. "No, a spoiled brat such as yourself does not see the suffering of others! You do not see their help as a way for everyone to survive! You see it as a way that furthers you along your path, you would not know a kind gesture if it bit you on the arse!"

"Artemis..."

"No, Minerva! He is a spoiled little git who takes everything and everyone for granted! I knew this was a bad idea, I knew nothing good would come of this, but I just had to listen to you. You wanted me to try to show him why I do the things that I do, but he is too bloody blind and too full of himself to even notice when a person is trying to help him! Not in all of my years of teaching have I ever met someone who is as narcissistic as he is! And I taught his bloody father! I can't do this Minerva, I just can't." Artemis takes a deep breath, "If you need me, I will be in my quarters." With that, the half-breed woman turns on her heels and walks out the door, slamming it behind her.

The two people remaining in the office are quiet for a few moments, the air in the room cooling from the amount of magical presence that had recently left.

"Professor McGonagall, what did she mean when she said she taught my father?" Harry asks, finally breaking the awkward silence.

"Oh dear..." Minerva mumbles to herself as she places her elbows on the top of the desk and covers her face with her hands. _'This is going to be very hard to explain, especially with everything going on now,' _she thinks to herself with a sigh.

* * *

The door slams to Artemis's quarters causing Bellatrix, Hermione, and Draco to jump. Bellatrix stands quickly, wand drawn, but then slowly relaxes her stance when she hears the voice of the person who just entered.

"Confound that bloody, buggery git! In all my bloody life, I have never met someone as self-centred as him!"

"Hmm, sounds as if she had her talk with Potter," Draco says with a smirk as Hermione rolls her eyes and Bellatrix slaps his arm. "Ow! Aunt Bella that..."

"Stop it Draco! Can't you see that now is not the time for your sarcasm?" Bellatrix scolds. Her features soften as she sees the wearied look on her lover's face and she walks quickly to her side, "What happened?"

"Draco, I think we should go," Hermione whispers as she sees the expression on her godmother's face.

"No, you two stay. I am sorry about how I entered the room. I think I need to hear your opinions as well as my dear Bella's at this point. I'm just at my wits end right now," Artemis states as she slumps onto the sofa with a sigh.

"What happened, love?" Bella asks as she sits down beside Artemis.

The half-breed witch begins to tell the the others what happened at the meeting, that is, until she mentions the part where she had said she taught Harry's father, "Bloody hell... I just bungled that one up, didn't I?" Artemis asks as leans forward placing her head in her hands.

Bellatrix places her hand softly on her lover's back and starts to massage, "I wouldn't say that you completely messed it all up, love. I would say that you let a little bit of potion out of the cauldron."

"But what if he decides to go to the Ministry with this?" Artemis exclaims, "We are not ready for this! That bitch Umbridge will know that I am here and will try to attack the castle or... or she will do something devious, I just know it. Bella, your sisters could be in danger! All he has to do is open his gob and all of Umbridge's lackeys will be here and..."

"Calm down, love," the eldest Black sister states calmly, "Minerva was with you during this whole conversation, right?" The half-breed woman nods her head, "Then I am sure that she will think of something to tell him and if not, she could always Obliviate his memory."

"She's right, you know," Hermione chimes in, "Professor McGonagall will be able to handle Harry. She always knew what to say to him before when he became a bit out of sorts and all, so I am sure she will be able to think of something to take care of this."


End file.
